Sometimes it takes a Dream
by Hiroen Nnir
Summary: Cold with a scientific mind Kuchiki Rukia no longer believes in the fairytales she loved so long ago, when suddenly thrown into a world foreign to her Rukia learns that maybe...sometimes it just might take a dream to really wake you up.
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone! It's been so long since we've seen each other everyone! I hope ya'll missed me! I know I did! But anyway to start the new year off with another story of mine!

It's a mixture of Cinderella and Alice in wonderland! Another AU!

Enjoy and review! oh and disclaimer: I don't anyone but the creations and the story plot!...to some extent!

* * *

"Mommy mommy please read me a bedtime story tonight!" a beautiful tiny raven haired child of four jumped up and down as her equally beautiful mother smiled, picking the child up from the floor and carrying her to her bed for the night.

"What story will it be tonight Rukia?"

"Hmm" holding her chin in a way so similar to her father her mother giggled, Rukia smiled as she crawled out of her big girl bed and ran across the room to her bookshelf which was just right for her, and took a book that made her mother smile at her child's innocence.

"This one?"

"Yes!" putting the book onto her mothers lap Rukia jumped into bed snuggling up against her many feather like pillows, crowning her head in white fluff.

"Cinderella it is then" opening the silvery white book Rukia listened intently to her mothers kind and soft voice, bringing a completely different world into her mind, from the snow white pages of the book.

"You're voice is so beautiful mommy, just like the fairy godmother in the book!"

"Thank you my little Rukia" combing her daughters hair with her left hand Hisana continued to read as she saw the child's eyes drooping her long black lashes against her large glassy purple orbs full of innocence. Hisana stopped closing the book with a doggy ear, placing it on the chair as she got up to kiss her daughters forehead

"Sweet dreams my love" turning off the night light on the table Hisana closed the door to Rukia's room missing her child smiling a bit too widely.

Opening one of her eyes Rukia grinned as her door was completely closed before she turned on her night light lamp and grabbed the large silvery white book from the chair making her way back into her bed. Opening it to the first page Rukia stared at the vivid and detailed pastel colors of the drawings.

The tiny house in which Cinderella lived in, her evil step mother and ugly step sisters, the mice and birds in the sky so free and happy, Cinderella crying crystalline tears as her fairy godmother came to calm her wrenching heart, Rukia grinned as she continued to turn the pages of her favorite fairytale and blushed when her favorite picture was flipped to her view.

The prince and Cinderella waving goodbye in a golden carriage as they had finally found each other and got married.

One day she was going to find her prince. Definitely.

* * *

'_What a load of bull'_ Rukia scoffed remembering that day so long ago as she cast her eyes to the window out side not listening to her friend drone on and on about the guys she liked,

"Hey Rukia! Are you even listening to me!" hitting the raven haired girl in the head with the back of her hand,

"Ow! What the hell Rangiku!"

"You weren't listening to me damn it!" glaring at her petite friend with her grey eyes the strawberry blonde folded her arms

"What were you thinking so deeply about anyway?"

"Huh? Oh…nothing"

"Liar" poking the girl in the nose making the raven haired girl shake her head,

"Stop that" waving her friends hand away, as the door opened letting in two seniors Rukia and Rangiku had befriended their freshman year, the other two being sophomores at the time.

"Hey girls! How goes it?" Kotsubaki Sentaro asked, standing by his girlfriend Kotetsu Kiyone

"Kotsubaki-senpai, Kotetsu-senpai, what brings you here?" Rukia asked in surprise as the two stood by Rukia's desk where Rangiku sat on the other side.

"Just walking around Sentaro here didn't want to stay in AP Gov, what about you two?" Kiyone asked grabbing a random chair from another desk, just as her boyfriend did the same with another mumbling something about how he just wanted to spend time with her;

"Rukia was just spacing out on me again!"

"Not like I was ever really listening to you go on about your "boy toys"" Rukia snickered as her strawberry blonde friend pouted crossing her arms across her large chest,

"Well it wouldn't hurt you to listen once in a while!"

" Yes it would"

"Ok chill girls!" smiling at his friends Sentaro laughed, "you sound like us"

"What do you mean us?" Kiyone said turning to her boyfriend, who in turn turned to her

"I said they act like us!"

"How?"

"Are you blind woman! They fight like how we're doing right now!" their faces getting closer

"That's because you made the comparison! If you hadn't then we wouldn't be fighting!"

"Don't blame this on me! You're the one who got insulted by the truth!"

"Oh shut it you hairy man!"

"I'm still only eighteen you old hag!" suddenly both Rukia and Rangiku sensed a large pair of eyes on them, turning to indeed see the entire class was staring at the seniors.

"God, they do this every time" Rangiku sighed knowing only their oddly very young almost like a teen himself, look alike a student almost ten years his junior who just happened to be both Rukia and Rangiku's orange haired friend in this case was a spiky black haired science teacher- could break them up,

"Yeah want to go somewhere else? We have a few more minutes before school starts" Rukia suggested as she got up ignoring the eyes on her and the very loud arguing couple beside her; how they got together she still had no idea even after three years. When suddenly the class room door opened once more only to let the class in on the ear-bursting roar of the millions of screaming girls of their high school,

"Oh my gosh! It's Aizen Sousuke!! He's here!"

"Kya! Come on!" running as if to escape a fire the room quickly emptied except for the boys of the class, the two now silent seniors and two girls, consisting of bouncy strawberry blonde hair and raven colored locks.

"Want to go see?" Rangiku asked her friend

"Sure why not? Its not like there's anything to do here" looking at the class of boys and the seniors who waved them off before continuing their fight, the two girls walked out and pushed their way through the crowd of fawning girls, as THE one and only senior hottie group of their high school came walking down the hall waving at the girls and smiling showing off their pearly white teeth, making the girls scream all the more louder;

"Damn it! It's always like this!" Rukia held her head as THE group of senior boys came closer the tall boy in the front leader of the group and most, or in fact all the girls were screaming over was a light skinned guy with wavy brown hair, his deep eyes brown and wise behind his thick black glasses which all the girls seemed to love all the more; thinking it made him look so much more adorable than he already was. His well toned body only added to the fawning girls as his smile shown bright and clear; Rukia hated to admit it but…the guy was pretty cute!

The guys following behind Aizen Sousuke were popular through out the school for their pranks, Ichimaru Gin, their money Ishida Uryuu, their strength, Sado Yasutora, their brains, Ukitake Juushiro, and their looks, Hitsugaya Toushiro.

"My god, every time I see Hitsugaya he gets hotter!" Rangiku smiled as the group of seniors came closer to the two

"You know just because he's a year older than us, he looks like a middle schooler right? That's like pedophile-ish" Rukia grimaced as her friend still held_ that_ smile on her face.

"Come now Rukia-chan I would never! I just said he's hot! And besides don't you think it'd be super cool if we dated a senior?"

"Why? We're just juniors, it's not much of a difference" the raven haired girl stated when suddenly the fangirls screamed all the louder as Aizen glided right pasted Rukia and Rangiku. Catching her glance deep brown mingled with dark amethyst for a moment before the senior walked off with a smile on his face, Rukia unconsciously clenched her fists.

"Something's not right about that guy" murmuring under her breath even if he was cute, Rukia felt something about him she just didn't trust. When her eyes were drawn onto a flurry of coal black and bright emerald green.

It was Hitsugaya Toushiro.

As he was the last to past her, Rukia's heart suddenly began to beat faster and faster until she felt almost faint, forcing her legs still her glassy amethyst orbs clashed for an instant with emerald and time stood still. Before long the spell was broken and Toushiro walked off, as Juushiro patted his back and smiled warmly at the many girls, missing the black haired boys glassy daze and a tiny linger of a smile on his lips.

"You like him too, don't you Rukia?" Rangiku's voice asked over the roar of the crowd catching her friends gaze on the small seniors back, as the crowd of girls began to diminish.

"Huh? W-who? Aizen? I don't think so he's liked by all the girls in school, why like someone everyone fawns over?"

"Always the rebel huh? but no I wasn't talking about Aizen" nudging the smaller girls shoulder as they walked back into their class.

"No, I'm a leader not the follower, besides who are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you liking Hitsugaya Toushiro oh great leader" smirking like a cat toying with its mouse, Rukia flushed deeper

"Shut up I don't like him!"

* * *

During the rest of school that day Rukia couldn't get her mind off of Hitsugaya Toushiro.

No matter how many times she told herself he was probably just a crush or a simple fascination, the guy wouldn't leave her be. Sure he was hot and really intelligent, so much in fact that he was already invited to three colleges, but she didn't know anything about him other than the things she had heard from gossipers. Not only that but if he was so great why wasn't he the leader of the group?

"It's not like he and I are going to get together anytime soon, or anytime for that; we don't even know each other" Rukia told herself yet no matter how much she tried to deny it that instant their eyes met she felt something deep within her that she hadn't felt in….quite a long time. Something completely different from that look Aizen gave her.

Sighing Rukia made her way towards her next class AP Psychology. Pushing through the millions of students the school seemed to get each year Rukia still wasn't used to so many freshman even after three years.

Sitting in her seat Rukia noticed a seat was empty as the class was filling up, thinking that just a few days ago that seat had been filled by a student….Hinamori Momo was it?

'_Hmm must have transferred out….never did like her anyway'_ when her thoughts were interrupted by the voice of the teacher and his announcement

"Ok class today we have a new student please come in!" the teacher said as the door opened revealing a very familiar person strolling in much to the classes and Rukia's surprise

"Hi I'm Hitsugaya Toushiro" waving the black haired boy gazed out at the class when his green eyes stopped on one student staring up at him in shock, he recognized her instantly. It was the amethyst eyed girl he saw behind all those other girls.

"Alright now that that's settled Hitsugaya-kun please sit in that seat by the wall" pointing to the empty desk the senior glided towards the desk as his eyes gazed over towards a certain raven haired girl, who surprisingly wasn't looking at him anymore. He smiled

'_Interesting_'

'_What the hell is he doing here?! Wait! Why do I care? So what if he's in this class, it's an upperclassman course it's no big deal!_' Rukia's mind fumbled around itself with thoughts and feelings she wasn't familiar with, and that cold feeling she got running down her spine when she could feel his eyes on her; didn't help much. When again the teachers voice broke through her mind and asked her a question,

"Kuchiki-san would you mind coming back to reality and tell the class what dreams are?"

"Excuse me?" her voice broke in embarrassment for getting caught daydreaming of sorts, and to find out that half an hour of the class was already over.

"Would you mind telling us what dreams are, you know what you were just thinking of" the teacher softly scolded the petite girl as the class laughed at her, feeling that cold run down her spine Rukia was sure that senior boy was watching her and by the feel of it he was smiling. Rukia's eyes turned dark and her face stern, sitting up in her seat she took the appearance of an important figure head just as she would always when her pride was being raised at the stake.

"Dreams sir, are the subconscious thoughts human minds imagine behind closed eyes, whether awake or not dreams appear in the sense of an escape; making life richer or duller, to which any person chooses"

"U-uh c-correct" the teacher stuttered as the class stared in awed silence at the Kuchiki, before returning to normal as the teacher called on another volunteer to answer another question.

As Rukia kept her attention fully on the class she didn't sense a pair of green eyes on her staring oddly. Or did she?….After all she was Kuchiki Rukia, simply putting her attentions on the class wasn't going to keep her from noticing those eyes on her, but because of who she was; it no longer mattered. For as this sixteen year old girl sat perfectly in her seat, writing down notes, looking up at the teacher; nodding and speaking her thoughts, she was no longer that tiny child of four.

Rukia had become cold. As time pasted and years shedded the childhood innocence of all younglings, reality and truth became her passion. No longer did she read her fairytale books, no longer did her mother read her to sleep, no stories of worlds far and wild by the fire, no painting of soft pastel, no fairies, prince and princesses, dragons and knights.

No more foolish dreams of finding her prince.

* * *

Before long AP Psychology ended and lunch began however before Rukia could gather her bag up and leave she felt a tap on her shoulder,

"Kuchiki was it?"

"Yes? And you are Hitsugaya right?"

"Yeah" standing in front of her was the senior half the schools population of girls had a crush on, and for one thing she could see why. He was a god! A hell lot better than that Aizen Sousuke; but she wasn't going to let a soul know that anytime soon.

"Hey I was wondering do you have the notes for the previous classes?"

"Yes, I do"

"Could I look at them for a while?" he rearranged his bag over his shoulder, his eyes twinkling catching Rukia's attention.

"I could let you" taking out her binder and handing him the well written notes, she passed them to him their fingers touched slightly for a moment. Both noticing with a raise of their brows and a light coloring to their faces.

"…uh Thanks I'll give them back to you next class"

"Alright" nodding the raven head lifted her bag over her shoulder and walked off a lingering smile on her face as she once again felt his eyes on her back; this time no shiver ran down her back.

The rest of the day went by faster than normal and the Kuchiki couldn't be more happy, packing her things in her last class for the day, the girl made her way out when in the shuffle of the crowd she lost her footing when a hand wrapped around her hand looking up to see how had saved her from embarrassment.

"Ichigo!"

"Yo midget"

"Don't call me that"

"I'll call you what I want" the carrot top smiled at the petite girl

"Oh? So I can call you strawberry?"

"No! never call me that! Damn it!" clenching his fists with a scowl on his face, making the raven haired girl smile at one of her best friends.

"So never call me midget"

"Hmm….fine midget" smirking at the girl as he ruffled her hair

"Damn it Ichigo you bastard! Stop that!" taking his hand off her head, and combing through her short raven locks,

"Yeah yeah anyway hurry it up, Renji is already waiting for us" pointing to the school gates outside easily spotting a pineapple redhead, Rukia smiled

"Hey Ichigo"

"Hmm?"

"Race ya!" purposely stepping on the bleached haired boy's foot Rukia ran past the colorful curses coming from behind her as she heard footsteps coming up fast

"Rukia you bitch! You cheated!"

"A loser is always a loser Ichigo!" yelling behind her the raven haired girl ran faster finally getting out of the school and towards the waving redhead.

Winning the 'race'.

* * *

"You cheated Rukia!" Ichigo snarled as the three walked home together

"I didn't cheat, like I said a loser is always a loser; and you are a loser!" smiling at the orange haired boys red face, he pouted just as he always would when he couldn't get back at her. Making the girl smile wider

"I can't believe you fell for it again" Renji smirked making the carrot top flush

"Shut it Renji! I don't want to hear that from you!"

"Oh! At least I know when Rukia'll strike! You always fall for her pranks"

"Me?! You're the…."

"Shut up both of you!" Rukia yelled as her face was getting squished between the much taller guys chests, pushing them apart quite tired of their constant squabbling when her cell rang

"Hello? Oh Rangiku hey, wait slow down I can't understand a word you're saying!" stopping in the middle of the sidewalk Ichigo and Renji waited for their friend as she talked to their other best friend. The four of them being a foursome since elementary school, they would always walk home together but when high school came by it got harder for them to keep the tradition.

Renji would have kendo practice, while Ichigo would have to help with the family hospital; Rangiku being Rangiku got the attention of most of the guys in school and would be courted by one almost each afternoon, each time a different one. While Rukia….

"WHAT?! T-that's not! W-we didn't! Rangiku, chill and listen to me! I meant what I said when they pasted us this morning! I DON'T LIKE HIM!" hanging up on her still talking friend, she closed her white flip phone and stuffed the cell into her pocket, Rukia looked up to see light and dark brown staring at her.

"What?"

"What the hell was that?"

"Nothing" closing her eyes as she pushed past the guys

"Nothing? You were screaming your head off!" Renji exclaimed

"I wasn't screaming"

"Like hell! You were really red too! What was it that Rangiku did this time?" Ichigo asked

"Yeah and who is this guy you supposedly "don't" like?" looking at the petite girl in front of them hesitating for a moment before continuing on with her stride.

"Like I said it's nothing so leave it at that" continuing on with her walk as the guys behind her looked at each other in suspension but none the less left the girl alone…for now.

'_I don't get it how could she have found out? And how in the hell did it get around school so fast? We just talked for a minute and I just lend him my notes! Nothing more!_' Rukia thought as her friend's voice still rang in her head,

"There's a rumor going around that you and Toushiro are lovers! Is it true Rukia?"

"Of course not!"

"Huh? Did you say something Rukia?" Ichigo asked as Renji had an odd look on his face when ever he was confused or holding back something.

"N-no nothing" did I say that out loud?

returning to her stride far ahead of the guys Rukia thought about that rumor and how it must have spread

'_Most likely a stupid freshman looking in our class and saw us, thinking it was some great gossip or something'_ as her mind wound up the possible possibilities closing her off from her surroundings, and with Renji and Ichigo arguing with each other again, no one saw the car flashing down the street right into Rukia's body as they were half way across the street, nearly home….until it was too late.

"RUKIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

* * *

"Uhhh w-what happened? I feel like I was hit by a ledger hammer a thousand times over" Rukia rubbed her sore head and sat up as her eyes took a while to adjust to their surroundings, taking more than a few minutes sitting where she awoke Rukia's senses told her something was off.

Finally able to see again Rukia got up only to understand why she felt something was off, she was no longer in her uniform, her bag and things were gone and her surroundings were…..that of….. a!

"W-where the hell am I?!"

* * *

Me- and the first chapter is done! How was it? Good? Bad? Worse? Better? Totally out of it?!

Hahah yeah I know I asked this before but I want to know!

Please like always read and review! And tell me if I should continue with this or not, k?


	2. Chapter 2

"Where the hell am I?" standing up Rukia got a good look at her surroundings only to realize that she was no longer in Japan; hell she wasn't even sure she was on earth anymore!

"Ichigo! Renji! Hello?! Anyone here?!" Rukia screamed when she sighed at the silence she received in response to her unanswered question only to see her regular oversized red sweater and dark blue khakis were no longer there! Instead she wore a deep purple puffy short sleeve shirt under a black/white striped tank-top. Black shorts that just barely reached her mid thigh, the same pattern as her tank-top knee socks under black combat boots. Her bag was gone, not that she really cared but within her bag held the one thing she actually cared for; her cell phone!

"What the hell happened to me?! Answer me someone! Where am I?!"

"You're here of course!" a sudden playful voice invaded her head and black locks flowed left to right in a flash, looking for the source of the voice.

"Who are you? Where are you?"

"I'm not a who, and I'm right here how rude!" the playful voice teased as Rukia turned to see that within a tree behind her, a woman sat on a high branch; normally the sight would have been bizarre in itself but what really got Rukia's attention was that woman looked EXACTLY like Rangiku!

"R-Rangiku!? Is that you?!" Rukia couldn't believe her eyes! Right in that tree of….were those stars?! In the shape of fruit?! In the shade of bright pink?!

"Rangiku? Whose she?"

"T-that's you!" pointing to the girl as she grinned showing off her canine teeth, far too sharp to be human Rukia knew her friend never had canine teeth that sharp.

"No my name's not Rangiku!" jumping down from the star-fruit tree the raven haired girl really got a good look at the woman who looked exactly like her best friend. Same big breasts, same icy grey eyes, same strawberry hair, same face, same everything! But…her face was more feline, her teeth more cat like….and her clothes!

"What are you wearing!" Rukia turned away she really did want to see anymore; or she was sure to get a memory she would rather not have, burned into her mind.

"I'm wearing nothing silly!"

"Nothing's right!" her clothes….if one could call them such consisted of a bra like piece almost like a bikini top matching with tiny woman's jogging shorts showing off her lean stomach, cleavage and large thigh legs; both of the materiel looked like fur with a color that matched her strawberry blonde hair, while her arms and legs were covered by the most oddest things Rukia had ever seen. They were gloves in the shape of large cat paws! With matching car ears on top of her head.

"You like?" swirling around the raven haired girl's eyes widen even more at the thing that protruded from the woman's butt!

"I-it that a tail!?"

"Huh? Of course silly! What else could it be?" the Rangiku look alike smiled as her tail twirled around her finger in a fashion of a whip.

"What are you?!"

"How rude, you should know already anyway!"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Already forgetting, tisk tisk tisk Rukia-chan" shaking her pawed finger in the sixteen year olds face, Rukia got annoyed fast.

"How did you- oh never mind, stop talking in riddles and tell me where I am!"

"Getting ridged won't get you anything but a visit from the king!"

"King? Whose the king?"

"King! King! You know who he is!"

"No I don't that's why I'm asking!"

Smiling like a buffoon the Rangiku look alike cat woman turned around and began to walk away, "wait! Please tell me where I am!"

"What are you talking about? Can't you see? You're near the star-fruit tree!" that rhyming was getting old fast

"I mean in general! I know I'm not…anywhere near my home" Rukia began when she realized just how stupid she must have sounded, when the cat woman grinned showing off her pearly white teeth.

"You're closer to your home than you think Rukia-chan!" waving the Rangiku look alike got on all fours and ran off into the forest, quickly disappearing from the girl's sight.

* * *

"Great that helped me!" Rukia stated bluntly in her sarcastic voice that would normally earn her a yelling of annoyance from either Ichigo or Renji, hell she half expected to hear one of their voices the moment she thought of the remark. Only this time…she got silence in response.

"What was that all about anyway, she really did look and sound like Rangiku…." Rukia looked from the forest behind her to the red velvet road in front of her, and decided it was best to go forward and never back; and so off she went. Pondering all the while trying to make sense of this world she was in.

"First its my clothes, and then this landscape, and of course Ran-that cat woman" thinking about all of that happened to her in the last half hour or so, Rukia just couldn't make out anything! Nothing was making any sense and that was really vexing!

"Damn it!" abruptly stopping in her steps the girl clenched her eyes willing the tears to remain behind her amethyst eyes, she refused to break under her fears. She wasn't a baby anymore, no longer that child that cried over every little thing, no longer that child who wanted her mother and father to hold her hands, no longer…..

"Why the tears?"

"Wah! Eh w-who!" not noticing that she had unconsciously continued to walk as when she did long ago whenever she had nightmares and would cry to her mother and father, with tears in her tightly shut eyes. Rukia's eyes widen all the more, letting her tears fall from her eyes lightly as she stared at the person who stood to her right

"Yeah what's up?" another voice she instantly recognized sounded to her left and she turned to see that they were indeed who she thought them to be.

"Ichigo! Renji! It's really you two!" jumping up Rukia hugged the two much taller boys who in turn flushed red and pushed her away simultaneously

"What are you doing?"

"Yeah, what the hell?!" wide amethyst stared in hurt and confusion….weren't they her Ichigo and Renji? They had the same voice, body, face, hair everything…except the clothes. Her Ichigo and Renji would NEVER be caught dead wearing the clothes these Ichigo and Renjis were wearing.

"I-I'm sorry I thought you were my friends" Rukia lamely excused herself not really knowing the best way to explain her current situation.

"Well just because we don't know each other, don't mean we can't be friends" said the Ichigo double dressed in different shaded of orange, a feather of red on the left of his breast.

"Yeah, but with the way she just hugged us, I don't she'd be good enough" replied the Renji double who in contrast to Ichigo was dressed in different shades of red, with an orange feather on his right breast.

"Good enough? For what?" Rukia questioned looking from one of the doubles to the other who in turn only seemed to be too preoccupied to argue with the other to pay her any attention. "Hello? Guys! I'm right here you know!" seeing as how she didn't get a single response from ether of them and their yelling got louder and louder, Rukia was flushed with memories of her two best friends and how these look a likes were the exact copies of them.

To say the least, it was painful to watch them and not see her Ichigo and Renji. And so Rukia took a step back and decided to think when she noticed a log on the side of the road she walked over to sit on it.

"This place, it makes no sense….I can't make any sense in this!" the sky was a transparent blue that Rukia had never seen before in her life and if she looked hard enough she could see the shadow of the night sky with the moon and stars behind the screen of morning hue, there was no sun but a warmth and light was present on her skin, the wind smelled of a fragrance that was foreign and at the same time familiar.

The trees and flowers were a whole another story! There were star-fruit trees, willow trees that bend towards the floor as if sleeping on it's back, winding and twisting roots that dug deep into the earth and towards the sky, intermingling with others, tall and short trees of all the colors of the rainbow and more! Flowers that smelled like flowers and others that smelled like cakes, candy, sweets, toffees, peppermints, and everything.

Even the road and the log she was sitting on weren't what she thought! The log was soft like a couch she didn't want to get off of, while the road she expected that of all things would be the one thing normal; oh no it wasn't by far! It was a long stretch of crimson red velvet far as the eye could see and that was saying something for Rukia had one of the best eye sights in the school.

"Asking myself questions that I have no answer to won't get me anywhere, I have to think!" Rukia murmured softly to herself, she was a scientific mind, everything in this world had an explanation! That was a basic truth mankind had developed and nurtured from the start of time, this place was no exception! Not to her.

Thinking back from the start of all this, the last thing she remembered seeing was a flash of a car heading towards her before her body could react…! C-could that be it?! Was that the reason why she was here!? Was she really!

"A-am I d-dead?!" dark amethyst widen in horror at that conclusion!

"Dead? What's that?" the carrot top asked suddenly

"Ah! D-don't do that damn it!"

"Hey it's a simple question girly! Answer it and we'll be done with you"

"Don't call me girly! I have a name Renji!"

"Stop calling him Renji! His name is Ijner!" the boy in all orange back talked the girl in purple who looked incredulously at the two,

"What are you talking about Ichigo?"

"His name ain't Ichigo! It's Ogichi, get it right!" the boy in red spoke for his friend.

"Ogichi, Ijner? What?"

"Yeah and what's your name girly?" Ogichi asked sitting without permission besides Rukia as Ijner sat on the other side.

"It's Rukia"

"Rukia huh? That's an odd name" Ijner said as Ogichi nodded, both their overly large hats shaking along with the nodding of their heads.

"That's a matter of opinion, and I for one don't care about either of yours" screw the fact that their faces were like her best friends, they were by far from her Ichigo and Renji. The raven haired girl said unfolding her legs and getting up to walk away,

"Where you going Rukia?" both the boys spoke in unison making Rukia stand rigid for an instant before she returned to her old self, letting her head fall to the side to take a side glance at the two Rukia spoke

"I'm going home" and so the girl continued down the velvet road, not wanting to look back at any costs, in fear that they would see the sadness and prickles of tears at the edge of her orbs. The weight of their stares on her fading back, all the more heavy.

Why did they have to look like her Ichigo and Renji? Why did they have to say her name?

* * *

After some hours Rukia's feet began to feel the pain of walking, even if she was walking on soft velvet.

"Damn it, why did I have to wear combat boots, why couldn't I have stayed in my flats?" trying to push her thoughts away with trivial problems, such as her shoes and the pain in her feet, Rukia continued to walk the velvet road not caring where she was going. Just to keep the thoughts of 'possible' reasons as to why she was here in this odd place in the first place. However none the less that way of thinking only lead her to an outcome that was evidently impossible to avoid.

"I- can't really be dead….this can't be heaven?" looking around at her surroundings only supported her resolve in the fact that this place was NOT heaven in anyway of the word.

But Rukia was a scientific mind and no matter how much she didn't want it to be, it was to be. That car was heading right at her at a speed that could easily kill a horse, there was no time to move and Renji and Ichigo weren't close enough to push her out of the way so….

"But if I am dead then where am I?" she was no Catholic or believed in any religion for the matter, after all the only gods of this earth were humans- there were never and still is no proof in any of these so called "Gods" so why waste time in believing? But if that was true then where THE HELL WAS SHE?!

"It's like I'm in Wonderland with that Alice girl" of course that couldn't be the case, that was a fictional story this was real life! But….

"If hypothetically I am in a Wonderland of sorts just like that Alice girl then could the end results be the same? Am I just dreaming this?" hmmm maybe….. But what would cause her to dream this crazy insane place? She hadn't eaten anything odd, she wasn't stressed with anything or anyone for that matter,

"Of course what are dreams really?" speaking her thoughts just to hear another human voice Rukia continued walking deep in thought, she made a mental note to ask her Psychology teacher the next time she saw him- that is if she ever saw him again.

"Correction if I see anyone I know again" thinking back to that cat woman with Rangiku's face, and two of her best friends look-a-likes oddly named Ijner and Ogichi. Rukia didn't think she could take seeing another person with a face of a person she knew anymore, and it would have stayed that way for a time being had she looked up and avoided colliding with the person who was walking in the opposite direction of her, but this is Rukia who is always deep in thought and didn't do just that resulting in her falling to the ground looking up in shock and embarrassment at none other than-

* * *

"S-Sado Yasutora! The strength of THE senior group!" pointing at the dark skinned teen who in turn looked at her in confusion

"Yes, my name is Yasutora but I do not have a last name…" his single eye looking at the girl as she looked up at him,

"What the? But aren't you that Mexican-Japanese senior at our high school?"

"High school? What's that?"

"Y-you don't know…." what the hell?! Nothing was making sense! First all that drama with that Rangiku look alike cat woman, Ijner and Ogichi and now a guy with the same face, body, voice and name as a senior at her school who she hardly even knew?! What was going on here!?

"You don't look so good, are you alright?" seeing the girl pale quite a bit in an instant Yasutora got worried that she might faint on him, and he didn't want that!

"I-I'm fine…I think" Rukia heard herself speak meekly

"You're free to come with me, since I get the feeling you don't have a place to rest" seeing as how the sky was turning a bright pink and tangerine Rukia knew sunset was coming, minus the sun some how, she knew she really didn't want to stay out in the wild on her own, in a place like this….but her sense to never follow a stranger was telling her to decline and run.

"If it's alright with you, I'd like to follow" screw reason! Look where it got her so far!

Nodding Yasutora turned from the original direction he was headed and aimed back from where he came, with the petite girl following close behind him.

After some hours of walking the sun fully behind the mountains that seemed to glow an odd tint of icy blue as if occult by a field of snow and ice….

Rukia was getting tired and her feet were killing her. '_Why the hell **did** I get combat boots_?!' growling she didn't realize that the towering teen had stopped until she had hit his back with her forehead.

"Ow!" rubbing her red nose

"Sorry"

"No, it's okay" rubbing her sore nose Rukia moved back to see why the huge teen had stopped for, only to have her dark amethyst orbs widen at the sight of a tiny content cottage standing in the middle of a quaint little village. Along a light cobble stone road laid cottage after cottage of different sizes and shapes, some with large chimneys with huge puffs of sweet smoke floating towards the transparent night sky, while others were surrounded by colorful flowers so different from the ones in the woods and yet….

"Is this where you live?"

"Yes, in a way" came the mysterious answer she got from the dark man, with a raise of her fine brow Rukia cast it off instantly and followed him inside when just at the same time the smell a of sweet soup wafted through her senses along with a shrill yell into her ears.

"Where in the world have you been! You useless piece of garbage I sent you out hours ago and you come back-"

"Now now Momori lets not yell at young Yasutora for being the lousy idiot he is, he can't help it" came a sudden snicker from an older voice but this time it was male.

"Oooh what's this? So Yasutora wasn't just getting lost but picked up a wench huh?"

"Who are you calling a wench!?" instantly Rukia back talked stepping out from behind the towering teen, glaring right into deep red, which seemed to be familiar….

"How dare you! Don't talk to father like that you-"

"I'm not talking to you Hinamori!" wait what?!

"My name isn't Hinamori! A slave wench like you should know better than to talk to me!" walking over to the man leaning on the door frame into the next room,

"Forgive me Miss Momori, Mr. Ginmaru I'll leave at once" seeing as how a conflict was soon to appear Yasutora bowed low and excused both himself and the fuming raven head beside him, closing the door with a light thud.

"What the hell? Who were those two! Why-"

"Please calm down, let me explain" the dark man spoke as he lead Rukia towards a tinier hut in the back. Once inside both the teens sat down Rukia asked once more

"Who were those people?"

"….they are my masters"

"W-what?" whoa! M-masters?! Who in the day and age has masters!?

"I was found by Mr. Ginmaru long ago when I was a child, he raised me but in exchange I had to give him my eternal service"

"That's crazy! That has to be illegal!"

"No, it's common now" came the nonchalant answer that was not expected by Rukia,

"How can you say that?! You- you're so strong I'm sure you could beat the guy up! Or take on a job and pay back your freedom in money" trying to make sense of this backward logic, the raven haired girl bargained hoping to help the one person in this odd place that showed her kindness,

"It's not that simple, I'm afraid"

"What do you mean?"

"Mr. Ginmaru has children, a daughter Miss Momori and a son Mr. Uryo, his wife died long ago so when Mr. Ginmaru dies my services get pasted onto the eldest child, Mr. Uryo"

"B-but that's not-" Rukia stopped herself before she began another world war, along with the look of confusion she got from the male she knew her words would only make her look even more out of place; and she really wanted to avoid trying to explain- especially if she didn't know how to explain.

"Please tell me….what is this place?"

"This place?"

"Yes- um this place is completely different from my home" that. Wasn't so far from the truth

As if that short explanation summarized everything Yasutora nodded "this is His Royal Majesty's land, under his rule everything is absolute"

"His Royal Majesty?"

"You don't know?" embarrassed slightly Rukia shook her head

"His Royal Majesty King Sousuke"

"Sousuke!?" that name! no way could he be-

"Yes but I don't mean to rude but its getting late and I need to wake before the rest do" blinking quite a few times before anything registered into her head Rukia suddenly stood up

"Huh? Oh right I'm sorry, thank you for your time I'll be-" stopping in mid sentence the purple eyed girl thought….she didn't have a place to stay the night, and after today she didn't want to know what lurked out under the shadow of the moon.

"You're free to stay for the night"

"I couldn't-"

"…."

"…."

"…."

"…."

"…."

"Alright I'll stay, thank you"

* * *

Thinking over the effects of the day Rukia couldn't help but feel so….lonely. Everyone she had met had the same faces as the people she knew but they were out of character to an extreme.

And now she was living with one! Sado Yasutora a senior at her high school none the less; one she barely knew too not that she knew a lot of seniors but that was beside the point, what really made Rukia think were the 'masters' the teen served. Momori- although it was a short encounter she was sure that girl looked and sounded just the same as the Hinamori Momo in her Psychology class…or at least used to be.

"Heh, I knew I didn't like her from the beginning" scoffing at that thought her mind turned her towards Momori's 'father' Ginmaru. Who happened to look and sound just like none other than another senior from THE senior group in which Sado was a part of, Ichimaru Gin same short gray hair, wicked smile, bony hands, beady red eyes. Everything about the man was the same as the teen- down to the very sense that filled Rukia when ever she sees him. Disgusted fear.

"Sure they weren't that close of friends but I know they weren't master and slave!" thinking of the gray haired man and the dark teen Rukia sighed, and then there was that 'King' everyone referred too

"King Sousuke…hmm?" if she had any sense of reality left in her head Rukia would know not to jump to conclusions and say this King was not and could never be Aizen Sousuke the head of THE senior group but….

"Could he be another look alike just like the rest of them? The same face, body, voice, looks everything but the personality?" turning her head towards the wall careful not to shake the hammock she was borrowing as her host laid on the hammock under her, the petite girl let out a sigh once more.

"I really am going crazy aren't I?" just a few hours ago never would Rukia be caught talking to herself, hmm looks like maybe being crazy wasn't so far from the truth.


	3. Chapter 3

Quiet silence filled the little hut sitting quaintly on the side of a tiny but cozy cottage, bathing in light glowing rays of sunshine and morning dew, a petite character still remained unmoved within the huts confines.

A yawn

"Uhh wahhh what time is it?" asking no one in particular Rukia sat up and looked about suddenly realizing she wasn't in her room, nor in any place that seemed familiar for that matter.

"Where?" instantly in a moment her memories of the day since pasted rushed into her mind, flaring at her subconscious.

"T-that's right I'm I-…" she still couldn't give an answer to that question. Which got her to thinking…will she ever? Shaking her head Rukia refused to think like that but always keep in mind that all sorts of possibilities could be behind the reason she was having this dream like nightmare.

Careful not to fall the petite girl climbed down from the top hammock of her host's room, putting on her boots that lay in the corner for the first time Rukia got a good look at the cottage that would be her temporary home for the time being. Besides the makeshift beds there was little that could be claimed as furniture, on the wall to the left was a handmade table with two chairs, a vase of flowers in the middle giving it a warm feel to its already homey sense, the wall opposite of the girl held the tiny fireplace that was far to small to keep a guy like Yasutora warm during winter, it was a wonder but Rukia knew it was none of her business how the teen kept warm during her favorite season.

The door stood on the fourth wall in the middle of two windows surrounded by light tangerine colored curtains letting in the sweet smelling aroma of wind.

Smiling at the simpleness of the cottage Rukia couldn't help but think if this Yasutora had the same taste as Sado from her school. Getting up from her position on the floor Rukia dusted herself off and walked out into the sunlight, not sure what the day would bring her this time around.

"Good morning Yasutora-san"

"Hmm ah good morning Miss Rukia" walking over to the huge man Rukia smiled humbly at her first friend in this new world,

"Please just call me Rukia"

"Alright then" he answered with a light smile, but from her point of view maybe she was mistaken

"What are you doing?"

"I'm doing my chores"

"May I help?" looking up in shock at the raven haired girl, Yasutora went quiet for a moment before asking

"I don't mind but why would you want to help me?"

"You gave me a roof to sleep under, I think the least I could do is help you"

"I see, then could you go to the lake to get water?"

"Sure" taking up the empty buckets Rukia made her way to the center of the town when the large teen stopped her in the steps.

"Where are you going?"

"Hmm? I'm going to get water…."

"The lake is the other way in the middle of the forest"

"….Oh, r-right! Heheh thanks" trying her best to hide the blush on her cheeks, Rukia made it past Yasutora and into the forest.

* * *

Just like the trees on the red velvet path she had taken not a day ago, the forest shimmered with a radiance unlike anything Rukia had seen, it was as if the trees of this forest thrived with little light but just enough to let the rays of sun reach the ground.

Each tree and plant had a different look and smell to it, twisting and turning, thick and tall, thin and fragile, clawing deep into the dirt, or reaching for the sun.

Making her way through the green forest Rukia finally drew her eyes from her surroundings and saw the lake in front of her, grinning the raven haired girl went to the edge and kneeled dipping one bucket at a time catching each glimmer of a water crystal. When a sudden breath of air ruffled the trees and water, shaking the forest until it danced. A single leaf landing on the puddle of her bucket Rukia curiously picked the leaf up, closely examining it until her breath had left her.

In her palm, at first glance the leaf glowed; but not with dew instead it shimmered transparent on her hand. The emerald leaf was made of fine glass, tinted with a light peridot at the veins and tips, looking around Rukia saw that almost all the trees held glass leaves on their branches each one a different shade of green, letting out a sigh the girl blew the leaf right off her hand and onto the lake as light as a feather, the leaf caused a ripple on the waves but paying no attention Rukia went back to her work. Until….

"Rukia-chan! What a surprise to see you here!"

"Huh?! R-rang- what are you doing here? I thought you went the other way of the road" standing up on the balls of her heels, Rukia once again was face to face with her best friend's look-a-like.

"I got curious about you Rukia-chan!"

"Why? We hardly know each other"

"Aww don't be mean like that!" jumping down from the branch she had appeared from on the other side of the lake, the Cat instantly ran over to a flabbergasted Rukia. "We're friends, aren't we?"

"No we aren't, you may look like my best friend but you're not her"

"Rukia-chan you're hurting my feelings! And here I was about to tell you things!" turning away licking her large paw as if Rukia's words had literally cut her, she was about to leave when she was stopped

"Wait! What were you going to tell me?"

"Hmm? Don't know if I want to tell you now" sticking her pink tongue out in mockery the Cat back flipped onto another branch her tail swinging in tune with her hips as she swayed like a flap on the wind.

"Stop playing games with me!"

"I'm not playing Rukia-chan….not yet" a murmur on her lips, Rukia had to strain to hear

"Just tell me what you wanted to tell me and we'll be done with this!" clenching her fists frustrated at the cat-woman, it got her thinking had Rangiku ever been this annoying?

"That's not a nice way of asking for a favor, tsk tsk Rukia-chan didn't you parents teach you manners?"

Breathing through her nose, taking in deep amounts of the scented air she still couldn't put her finger on, Rukia opened her wide dark amethyst orbs and stared right into the cat-woman's icy blue glare.

"Would you please tell me what it was you were going to tell me?"

"That's better! Now was that so hard?"

"…"

Jumping down from her branch the Cat appeared instantly in front of a startled teen, broadly grinning showing off her white sharp canine teeth, she spoke in a somber almost uncharacteristic way that seemed so foreign on her lips,

"What is it that your looking for?"

"Excuse me?"

"What are you looking for Rukia-chan?"

"…I'm looking for my way-"

"No, I mean what are you truly looking for?" placing her hand over her chest "here"

"My heart?" a simple nod of strawberry-blonde was her answer, "I'm not looking for anything for my heart-"

Again she was interrupted "Not **for** your heart but your heart"

"What are you talking about? You're not making any sense!" glaring at the much taller woman, Rukia refused to back down

"When you figure out what is it your looking for, you'll be returned what you've overlooked"

"What does that mean?" and as if a coin had been flipped the cat-woman returned to her flamboyant old self, jumping back to the edge of the lake as her tail played with the water.

"Figure it out Rukia-chan! You're a bright girl I know that!" and without warning she back flipped into the lake

"Watch-!" but before she had a chance to finish the warning the cat-woman disappeared through the water, leaving not a ripple on the waves.

* * *

"Did you get the water?"

"Hmm? Oh…yeah here" handing the buckets to the much larger teen, Rukia couldn't help but keep what the cat-woman said in the back of her mind, _just for right now until I figure something rational_ she backed.

"Thank you…Rukia are you alright?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah I'm fine, what else can I do?"

"Well-" but before he could continue someone from inside the main house called him in. Laying the buckets softly on the ground Yasutora began to turn towards his masters voice when another sound of footsteps followed him, "what are you doing?"

"I'm coming with you"

"Why?"

"I don't trust that guy or his daughter, and besides…I wouldn't feel right if I didn't help you with whatever it is they're going to ask of you"

"…I don't quite get you Rukia, but that's fine with me, thank you"

"No problem" and so the two walked into the house, only to be greeted by Ginmaru and his daughter Momori.

"What do we have here? That girl from last night.." a large mocking grin appeared on the white haired man's face, right at Rukia's pale face.

"Ginmaru was it?"

"Hmm?"

"Hey talk to my father with more respect you!" the brunette girl beside him glared, her brown eyes dark with dislike clashing with Rukia's nonchalant purple orbs.

"I don't have to talk to him with respect if I don't know him"

"You-!"

"Momori, enough, I want to hear what this girl has to say" turning his smile back onto the pair of teens still by the door

"Mr. Ginmaru I can explain-"

"I want to hear from the girl Yasutora" instantly the large dark male stopped as the petite girl came from her position beside him, standing tall in front of the man who still drove a sense of disgust in her.

"My name is Kuchiki Rukia and I wish to take boarder here, I will pay with labor of any kind"

"Hmm interesting" his large smile turning into a cheeky grin, a sliver of red appeared from behind pale eyelids. "and I suspect you want to say in Yasutora's hut?"

"I do"

"I wonder could it be that you two have-"

"Believe what you want; whatever makes you happy, but I can assure you I'm not here for romance of any kind"

"Then what are you here for Rukia-_chan_?" automatically a bad taste filled her mouth and for a moment she was silent. When suddenly a sound of footsteps came from deeper within the house, and a tall man stood at the bottom of the stairs.

"What's going on here?"

"Brother you're finally up" Momori exclaimed as a tall male came and stopped beside the tiny girl, with pale skin, light blue hair in a odd form under glassy sapphire orbs, who seemed to be a year older than Yasutora and Rukia, the boy asked again

"What's going on here?"

"Yasutora brought back this girl whose asking to stay here" lifting his eyes to Rukia she momentary let out the breath she didn't know she was holding, this boy, Uryo was the splitting image of Ishida Uryuu the money of THE senior group.

'_Another person with the same face_…' the girl bit her cheek from saying anything,

"Who are you?"

"…Kuchiki Rukia"

"Father what is you plan of action?" ignoring the girl just like that, he failed to see a slight twitch of her left eye '_the creep_!'

"I think we'll let her stay"

"But father you can't-!"

"Momori, what father says is final" the boy put a hand on his sisters shoulder, stopping her further protests.

"Well now that's settled Yasutora I want breakfast ready when I come back from my walk to town, and Rukia-chan" instantly the bad taste in her mouth came back this time with more force as he laid his eyes on her "I want you to accompany me"

"I said I would do labor as in house work, I never said being your slave or go into your family slave drive"

"Feisty aren't you? You're quite a girl Rukia-_chan_"

"It's Ms. Kuchiki"

"If you're to live under my house as whatever it is you want to call yourself, you are to be called what I call you" this time his smirk wavered but only for a moment before returning into its usual mocking grin.

"To hell with this, Yasutora get to work, Momori go to town with father, and you girl go out and get some wood for the oven" Uryo spoke up breaking the silence that filled the house. And without another word from anyone, the house began to empty.

* * *

Grumbling to herself Rukia, cursed. _Who was that guy telling me to go get wood like some worker! And that Ginmaru and Momori- gah!_

"They are the worst! How Yasutora can deal with that family is beyond me!" taking up as many pieces of wood she could hold at a time, the raven haired girl made her way to the front door when she heard a couple of voices from within; talking almost comfortingly and friendly to each other. Placing the wood on the door step, Rukia looked into the window only to see a shocking scene before her.

Yasutora and Uryo were laughing with each other as they both were cooking the food. T-this didn't make any sense!? Wasn't the big guy the family…slave? Why were the two of them acting as if they had been the best friends since childhood? Rukia knew she had to find out. But first! The wood.

Taking up the wood she had dropped, the raven haired girl had just enough time to look up at a sudden light whisper of a noise only to see a flash of tangerine and white run past the house's garden and into the forest.

"What-?" pressing her fine brows together Rukia had an urge to go look for the thing that miraculously missed her perfect eyesight but she had something heavier on her mind than curiosity, but that didn't mean she wouldn't keep that thing in mind.

Placing the stack of wood in her arms she kicked the door and demanded to be let in, automatically the large engraved art noveau styled oak door opened letting a tall thin teen boy into the bright morning sun.

"You don't have to kick the door"

"I couldn't use my hands" she bluntly stated stepping to the side letting herself in

"You could do better to learn some manners" Uryo also stated bluntly

"…" Rukia would have said something in response but kept to herself, she had found out that sometimes that was the best idea.

"Forgive her Mr. Uryo I-" the big teen apologized for her, and that was it. Rukia was tired of this game, it was time she got one thing across to these people!

"No, Yasutora if I want to be forgiven I'll ask myself I don't need to be watched over or protected, I can do that myself" her dark purple eyes clashing with sapphire and dark brown.

"So?" Uryo asked in his monotone voice, arms crossed standing by the family table staring at the raven haired girl.

"I don't want your forgiveness, I have nothing to apologize for"

"Momori was right, you are trouble"_ like I care what that girl thinks of me_ Rukia wanted so badly to say but like she had learned, she kept quiet.

Seeing the silence was going to continue for a while longer, Yasutora reluctantly went back to his cooking, and almost just as reluctantly Rukia turned her back to the blue haired boy and helped her friend; for a while she could feel eyes boring into her back and then they were gone followed by the sound of footsteps walking up the stairs.

* * *

That evening pasted like a fluttering butterfly on the flames of a burning fire. Ginmaru and his daughter had returned, dinner was served, Yasutora and Rukia were forced to eat outside in Yasutora's hut, and then twilight came sending the household to sleep.

Making his way into his bed, Rukia took her top bunk and laid awake until she could no longer keep silent and finally asked

"Yasutora?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you and Uryo friends?" instantly she could feel the room go eerie quiet and she knew she had asked a question she shouldn't have

"I don't know what you're talking about Rukia"

She sighed and continued "I saw you two laughing as if you were enjoying each others company"

"…."

"…I'm sorry, it wasn't my place to ask you something like that-"

"He was the first person in this village who accepted me"

"Accepted you?"

"Yes" moving in her hammock careful not to fall over she looked under her to the teen below

"What do you mean?"

Turning in his own hammock Yasutora faced the wall but continued with his story "When I was found by Mr. Ginmaru the village saw me as a slave, useless and stupid, a disease that was never meant to be looked at as a living creature" keeping silent Rukia clenched her fists until she was sure her knuckles were white "however one day when I was working with my chores, I fell and I could feel all my strength leave me, I just wanted to lie there on the ground and hope something would take me from this world. That was when Uryo came and helped me up he said lying there wasn't going to make his father happy but if I wanted to rest I should have just asked, it was then we became friends" by the sound of his voice Rukia could tell the dark teen was happy remembering the recollection of his past and for some reason her knuckles weren't white anymore.

"So you two hide your friendship from Ginmaru and Momori?"

"Yes, if they found out Uryo befriended me I would be killed and he would be disowned"

"That's crazy!" how messed up was this place?!

"Is it?" again by the sound of his deepening voice Rukia could tell the teen was already falling to sleep and so she left him to dream of peaceful times as she continued to ponder. After some time no sleep came to the girl, getting frustrated Rukia quietly climbed down and put on her boots, opened the door and walked out into the night.

Looking up into the silver moon just like the sun, hidden behind a shadow of morning sky the moon and stars still shown through bathing her in a winter like glow. Taking a deep breath Rukia smiled, she loved the night where the sun and its heat were long gone and forgotten, only to have the moon and wind to talk to, Rukia sat down onto a piece of wood and let her body relax, recollecting all her thoughts.

If memory served, it would always be at night under the twilight sky did Rukia think clearly and freely, she would always stay out on her porch and sit in her mother's rocking chair, just listening to the wind. It was a time to think of all her favorite memories, time to recall the days pains and joys, time to think of her friends and enemies, time to think of why she was here and if she really was….dead.

It was time to figure out how she could get back home and maybe….just maybe….


	4. Chapter 4

Maybe…..just maybe, sooner or later she'd be able to find out how to get home.

Rukia mentally cursed herself daily, she made sure to keep track of how many days she was in this new world, so foreign to her. It was about three days since, she had met Yasutora and began working for the family he was enslaved to.

Three days, two simple words of the utmost insignificance had she spoken them three days ago; however now they were the only memoirs she had of a time when all was normal and she could understand everything for what it was.

Days in this wonder world were different from her own, they were longer, harder, tiring and so lonely….and yet, every time Rukia cast her eyes up into the sky expecting to see a plane or thousands of towering buildings surrounding her almost protecting the city from the sun itself, she always found she was never disappointed in seeing the moon transparent through the blue morning sky or a flock of rainbow colored birds leaving their feathers as they fly free. Soft and velvet, rich red, elegant blues, vibrant yellows and greens, colors and hues that sang of every shade of the rainbow, danced in this world, colors she knew and then some that even the raven haired girl had never heard of or seen.

This world glimmered as if every angle you looked at, an object was meant to shimmer with a light that seemed to mean something more, singing a lullaby that was meant for Rukia; only for her, if only she understood.

Instead the purple eyed beauty spent her time thinking, pondering, and questioning what she knew and what she didn't understand all the while as she worked nonstop for her room and place in the Ginmaru family household.

"Rukia you don't have to scrub that spot of the floor so hard, its not even dirty much" Yasutora's deep voice broke her train of thought

"Huh? Oh right sorry I was just thinking…"

"…" and the two went back to cleaning the house as the family was out to town, supposedly there was a party going to take place tomorrow in celebration for the birth of twins, unlike any other Rukia had known in her life the town was so close that a birth or a wedding was reason enough to celebrate for days on end. But what shocked her was that Ginmaru and his family went, she had to ask:

"Are Ginmaru and his family close to the town?"

"Not really"

"Then why are they going to go to the party?"

"Mister Ginmaru likes to watch when the men and women get drunk…" dislike slowly filled the boy's voice, and Rukia nodded

"And Momori and Uryo?"

"Miss Momori watches over the children, and Uryo goes and helps the elders"

"Wait, are we talking about the same Momori and Uryo? The children of the man who lives here?" looking over to the tall teen, Rukia stopped her scrubbing and sat on her knees smoothing out the dress the family forced her to wear, a white and pale purple dress, similar to the other teens clothes; only a lot whiter.

"We are"

"How do you know?"

"Once they took me to a town party for the double wedding of siblings"

"If that's true then why are they so mean to you? I mean mostly Momori, since the other two I can see them doing what you say they do"

"She dislikes me"

"Why?"

"I don't know" turning his head, Rukia saw the thin frown aligning the teens mouth and she knew, some things were better left unsaid. Turning herself around Rukia went back to cleaning the floors, thinking.

* * *

Laying in bed later that night, Rukia for some God-forsaken reason couldn't get that party out of her mind. In her world she was never the party person, it was always Rangiku who got invited and it was always the busty teen who slung her along. So why couldn't she stop thinking about it?

Turning in her top hammock, Rukia closed her purple eyes and let her memories flood her mind they were all she had of a time that seemed so long ago, images of multi colors, flashes, sounds, smells; her friends, her teachers, her school, Tokyo, Shibuya, the ramen shop Ichigo loved to go to, the kendo dojo where she would always beat Renji in martial arts, the tight nit cafes, the shopping stores Rangiku loved to spend their time in…her family. Nostalgic pictures ran at full speed behind her pale eyelids, bringing a sad smile across a pale face- to think….there could be a possibility she could never see them again.

NO! instantly opening her eyes to blink away the would be tears, Rukia shook her head until she couldn't think.

"I am going back home, I refuse to be stuck here in this…place" although her soft voice ran with determination, fear and doubt lingered at the edge of her lips like liquid poison. Clenching her fists, the purple eyes beauty knew she couldn't go back to sleep, seeing as there was no point in wasting her time in bed, the female teen carefully jumped down- just quiet enough not to wake her friend; and snuck out of the tiny hut and into the dark night.

* * *

Slowly placing herself on the slab of wood she had now claimed as her own substitute to her usual rocking chair, Rukia unconsciously smoothed out the dress she was forced to wear, much to her displeasure there was nothing wrong with the clothes that had somehow replaced her uniform, but they were a thousand times better than this….this inhumanly pale frilly thing!

Signing Rukia tried to draw her mind off everything she tried to escape from, listening to the silent night, the smell of the light fragrance that always seem to be carried on the wind, the shadow of the sun hiding almost enviously behind the night sky, Rukia didn't want to admit it but if she didn't allow herself to think, this place. This wonder world was a beautiful place, so clam and familiar, and yet….

Opening her eyes the purple eyed girl looked behind her to the grass and saw a patch of flowered candies, reaching over she picked a flower that resembled a tulip only by the light of the moon did she see what was inside the red blossom, skittles. An array of the multicolored candies her mother loved so much, a memory instantly filled the young teens mind, of a time when she was only a few years old; it was mothers day and her father didn't know what to do.

"Daddy look! look what I did for mommy!"

"What is that Rukia?"

"A picture of us! See you and mommy are smiling and that's me in the middle! We're all smiling"

"I see that Rukia, but what's raining on us?" a young father held his precious daughter on his lap, smiling at the child's bright face and gleaming grin

"It's skittles! Mommy's favorite candy!"

"I see! That's wonderful Rukia, I think mommy will love it" kissing the four year old on her head gently, caressing her small back lovingly; already he could see the image of his wife in her, she had her mother's face but his traits, his ego, his wit, his pride.

"Daddy went mommy comes home can we make it rain skittles for her?"

"Heh I don't know how to make it rain skittles Rukia"

"Aww then how can we make mommy happy?"

"I think I have a way, but you'll have to help me Rukia"

"Ok!" jumping off her father's lap the two Kuchiki's went towards their plan to surprise their other loved one.

A single crystalline drop of water fell softly almost embarrassed, landing with a light splash on the tip of the red blossom and a gasp escaped the girl the tear escaped from,

"Shit I'm crying again!…I'm so pathetic" wiping her face for the hundredth time in just three days Rukia looked at the tulip longingly one last time before throwing the flower behind her hearing the colored sweets fall from their red home and onto the unforgiving dirt.

That girl was gone. That four year old was gone and she was never coming back. Not now. Not ever.

Sighing once more Rukia got up and stretched herself making sure her face was free from any form of the sadness that had previously made its home on her. When out of the darkness a movement caught the edge of her eye, this time she didn't miss it. With the speed she was notoriously known for at school, Rukia turned her head to see a girl with faded tangerine hair and a very familiar face that stopped Rukia's heart in a moment.

"K-Kotetsu-senpai…" looking up at the sudden sound both girls eyes met, dark purple on dark blue, and then she was gone; into the forest.

"Kotetsu-senpai!" without thinking Rukia screamed out and followed the girl into the forest. Into the night.

Darkness filled Rukia's sight, flashes of greens and brown raced past her eyes, running faster than she had ever before the girl kept her eyes only on the tangerine haired girl running in front of her, always a few feet away from her grasp. Rukia couldn't think, she refused to think as she forced her legs to keep running, _faster, faster_, the voice in her head chanted, _almost there _the images of her last three days in this place ran in her head, the faces of people she knew, the faces of people she hated, faces and faces of people but no one she loved.

She knew Rangiku had a face but she wasn't Rangiku she wasn't HER Rangiku, neither were they HER Ichigo or Renji; for too long Rukia saw faces of people she loved disappear and faces of people she knew stay. Not this time. This time she would follow her Kotetsu-senpai's face, no matter where it took her.

Rukia ran faster and faster until she could no longer feel with every breath the pain her heart strained to keep her on her feet, she kept running until the pain in her very body turned numb, until she couldn't feel anything; Rukia kept running. She ignored the fact that she was getting deeper and deeper into a forest she didn't know, she ignored the scraps on her face and tears in her clothes, the pulling and tugging the roots and branches did to her body, Rukia didn't give up. She knew deep down, if she didn't follow….she would never see her senpai's face again.

Never…..

That word, oh how she hated it. Giving her a drop of adrenaline to continue on with the chase Rukia followed the girl when she took a sharp turn left then right, twisting and turning this way and that, over roots, under bushes around trees and through flower beds, she refused to give up; when in her daze, her runners high Rukia saw the tangerine haired girl take a turn and then into an old door in the middle of a large bushel of white roses.

Closing the door in her face, Rukia grabbed the faded gold knob turning it roughly and jumping into the dark side behind the wooden gateway, only to catch herself before falling on her face, her knees buckled and her heart raced in more ways than one.

Before her stood a garden of candles, glowing and shining shimmering with an old inner flame that refused to give out. In the middle of the open garden a table filled to the brim with sweets and cakes, teas and pastries both familiar and foreign to her eyes, at the head of the table a boy, dark tanned skin with deep black hair and a close cut bread to his chin, he wore a large hat in velvet white, beside him was the girl breathing deeply fear and wonder on her face. It wasn't until she got a good look at them did Rukia see who the boy was….it was her Kotsubaki-senpai!

"Wha-" in a moment after the cut word left her panting lips, tears finally fell from her face, all the tears she had held within herself until now, the pain she felt, the loneliness, the hopelessness, the fear; everything came and now there was nothing holding them back. These faces….her senpai, these people weren't them! Now- now that she saw, the boy wasn't her Kotsubaki-senpai he wasn't the guy who helped her on her first day of high school, he wasn't the sophomore who didn't hate her because she was a freshmen, he wasn't her friend….he was a man dressed in odd white clothes, a white suit and a white hat. And she wasn't her Kotetsu-senpai, no she was nothing like her senior friend! This girl she chased so far into the forest after! Wasn't even human! She was an animal with human features, white rabbit ears protruding from her head, a white tail and both hands and feet covered in white fur; just like Rangiku…..and both Ichigo and Renji.

They weren't her friends.

She was alone. And now it was painfully clear.

* * *

Kneeling on the ground trying to hold her tremors to a light shake, Rukia was spent, she no longer had that adrenaline, no more energy to get up and leave, nothing but the will to give up. How pathetic. What happened to the proud girl who refused to listen to any one against her? What happened to that determination and will to find her way home? That girl who wasn't just a few minutes ago chasing her dream to leave this Godforsaken mad world! If Rukia could see herself now, she'd kick herself. How pathetic.

"Are you okay?"

"…."

"You think she's dead?"

"Course not! She was just chasing you a few seconds ago!"

"But she's so sad" the sound of footsteps on grass resounded in the small garden, making their way to the crouched raven haired girl. "Why are you crying?"

"…"

"Hmm?"

"….."

"You're going to have to speak up"

"Please just….leave me alone"

"…o-oh" with her head still bowed to the floor Rukia didn't see the tangerine haired girl's sad blue eyes staring sympathetically down at her,

"Gah I can't take this!" the boy got up and without a second notice pulled Rukia off the ground and lulled her over his shoulder,

"WhA! H-hey p-put me down!"

"Shut up! This here is a party where only good things happen! I'm not letting you spoil it with your crying!" with that the male in white unceremoniously dropped Rukia onto a large grandfather chair.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" from the corner of her eye she could see her Kotetsu-senpai's substitute flinch and her Kotsubaki-senpai substitute glare just a bit lighter, and she instantly felt guilty they hadn't done anything, it was her own fault she was so depressed and taken it out on the two people who were closest to her.

"I told you this here is a party and if you're staying, you are going to be happy"

"I'm not staying"

"Then why are you still here?" this time Rukia flinched

"You were the one who dragged me to this chair!" a slight pout had formed on her face

"So?"

"Tsubaki stop messing with her, here before you go then have a piece of cake" the Rabbit handed Rukia a tiny pastry that looked as if it were made of yellow cloud. Just by the smell of the divine tartlet she had half a mind to just ignore her depression and sit there in that magical glowing garden filled to the brim with the purest white roses Rukia had ever seen and just eat her heart out- to forget it all and just be happy.

"…I"

"She said she was leaving so let her Kotsu"

"Tsubaki stop being a jerk"

"Kotsu stop being a girly girl!"

"I am a girly girl you monkey"

"Monkey! I told you I'm not a monkey!" before her eyes the white suit Kotsubaki wore turned deep red as did his face, like a mood ring. And Rukia couldn't help but smile in her condition, even if they weren't her senpai they were still the same people she loved.

'_I have to remember to keep these guys together when they fight instead of ignore them….they really do love each other more than they act'_ when both of the odd teens abruptly stopped their argument and stared at her with equally odd stares

"What?"

"You did it"

"D-did what? What are you talking about?"

"Don't you see Rukia?"

"What? Wait how did you know my name?" getting up from her chair slowly the raven haired girl kept her eyes on her upperclassmen look-a-like who in turn smiled, Tsubaki's suit turning from red to bright yellow, Kotsu smiled with a cheeky grin. "stop smiling and tell me how you knew my name!"

"We know you Rukia, don't you know that already?"

"If you mean you look like a couple I know, you're not them"

"No and yes" Kotsu coyly grinned

"Damn it does everyone here talk in riddles!" first that damn Cat and now this Rabbit? Thrice curse it all.

"No and yes" Tsubaki's suit turned a brighter yellow almost as if he were the personification of 'beaming with glee'

"Just stop it and answer me, how do you know my name and what did you mean I did it? Did what?"

"Although you see it before you" Kotsu started

"You still remain blind to the rest you need to see" Tsubaki finished, both the teens stared dazed and withdrawn, frustrating Rukia even more than she liked.

"Alright then don't tell me!" turning on her heel the teen was about to leave when

"Go to the party Rukia"

"What?" giving the two a glaring profile, a soft wind picked up dancing with the flames of the candles tauntingly and yet so mesmerizing.

"To the party at the castle, he will be able to help you"

"…who will help me?"

"He will, the King" Tsubaki answered

"Or maybe Him" Kotsu responded as the wind picked up

"What!? I can't hear you" the soft breeze that waltzed with the flames now stirred into a gust angry and sharp, pulling and dragging. White rose petals tangoed with the leaves and fragranced air perverting it into a raw smell and sight, the garden wane taking the two teens along with it, until darkness filled Rukia's mind. "Wait! Stop! Come back! Tell me who is He?! Who is the King!"

Her voice no longer reached them as she was back in her hammock, rocking gently in the hut she had been inhabiting, the soft breathing of Yasutora under her; unchanged.

It was all a dream……right?

* * *

"You're going to what?" the large teen couldn't understand what it was he just heard from his petite friend, did he even hear right?

"I said I want to go to the party today, in the town center"

"You can't"

"Why not?" glaring at her friend as they ate breakfast before both the sun and the Ginmaru family rose,

"Unless you are invited by the family you serve, servants aren't allowed to leave the family property"

"What! That's just plain idiotic! Barbaric and stupid, Yasutora you're a big strong guy I know if you wanted to you could just-"

"Even so, I made a promise to myself and Mister Ginmaru, my dept to him would be paid off with labor to his family until he deems otherwise"

"…Yasutora" glancing sadly at her first friend, Rukia couldn't help but share his pain, "still then I'll go alone"

"What!? Even after I told you-"

"Technically I'm not a slave, I'm a tenant with no money but hand on labor"

"Yes…but-"

"Thanks for worrying Yasutora but you might as well stop, I'm not going to back down" taking a bite out of her toast, Rukia heard an exasperated sigh from the big guy.

"You're right, I know you long enough to know what I say will not change your mind"

"Damn right"

"Then…" with a piece of toast hanging from her mouth, Rukia looked at the male in front of her sitting in the other seat across the fine wooden table,

"Hmm?"

"Let me help you get out safe"

"You'll help me!?" from her leaning position in the chair and the force she had to pull herself to the table in shock, it was a miracle she didn't fall backward and give herself a concussion,

"Yes, I myself can't go with you but I will help you"

"Really!? Thanks so much Yasutora!" reaching over to pat the teen on his shoulder proudly Rukia beamed "you really are too great of a guy!" _when__ I get back home I'll make sure to at least say thank you to Sado, they are sorta the same person after all…..I think _

"It's fine but"

"Hmm?" looking up at her as she was leaning over the table, Yasutora got up and smiled

"I think until tonight we should get to work"

"Huh? Oh right!" with a light flush on her face Rukia scratched her cheek but none the less helped put the dishes away and get ready for the day ahead of her; with only one thing running in her head.

Get to the King.

* * *

Disclaimer- I don't know Hisana's favorite candy


	5. Chapter 5

Some how before the sun had hit midday Rukia made it out of the house and into the town, with the help of Yasutora. The raven haired girl easily avoided being seen by her host family as they eagerly headed towards the celebration of the twin births, Rukia noticed they were better dressed and looked proper almost like a happy prefect family; she scoffed.

There was no such thing. A perfect family, what a load of bull, that false hope was only a façade to hide the truth behind humans, we are not perfect and so no family will ever be such.

Rukia knew that better than anyone…her father was a workaholic who didn't give a damn whether she lives or dies while her mother had once been a sweet and gentle soul but in the end she had to go and…. when she was younger it may have been perfect but now….now.

"I suppose the two of you will be alright alone?" Ginmaru spoke in his mocking tone, unfather-like

"Of course" came the monotone respond he always expected from his children. Quietly the trio made their way to town, just as quickly dispersing from the other; giving their shadow the 'go' she needed to finally rid herself of the tailing. Or as Rangiku would have said 'being a ninja'…. Rangiku.

No! Rukia automatically shook her head from the depressing thoughts that seemed to be a regular thing as of late. Once again leaving the inner walls of the town, the raven haired girl stood in the middle of many motley, loud, cheerful and bright people. She had never seen so many happy people in one place before, the annual festivals back at home counted but- here, everyone seemed to be beaming.

For a moment, Rukia felt she belonged; but just as fast she shook her head straightened the clothes that had replaced her uniform, she much preferred these rather than walking in public in that dress! Smells and sights filled Rukia's vision with bright colors and vibrant aromas, bringing back memories.

* * *

"Come on mommy, the autumn festival isn't going to wait for you" a young six year old black haired girl ran in front of her mother, high on top of the highest hill in the city

"Run along Rukia, mommy will catch up"

"K!" running higher and higher little Rukia's raven black hair bobbed in the sun, crowning her head like a halo; clashing too well and just right against her sunset colored yukata, dancing with each fold and ripple were leaves of golden red.

Wide amethyst orbs gazed dazedly over the vast lands of color and smells glowing under the hill, Rukia couldn't wait. She was finally going to return to the autumn festival she had been dreaming of for so long!

Last time she was here was when she was only three, and at the time she had only heard stories from her mother now she could see for herself all the colors, and people; the noises and smells. All was hers to experience and she couldn't be more excited!

Without another moment Rukia ran down the hill, in full sprint catching the fall flower dust in her yukata covering her black zori in yellow.

"Rukia!"

"Don't honey" calling back her husband's booming voice, Hisana didn't want Byakuya to ruin Rukia's day of play

"She ran off without helping you"

"I told her to go one ahead"

"Why would you-"

"She's only a child Byakuya"

"So? She needs to know she can not just leave you when you need her"

"Please" looking up at her husband with faded purple eyes, Byakuya knew instantly he was no match for his wife's gaze.

"..Alright" kissing the top of her head, the two followed their only daughter into the mid-fall festival

"Mommy daddy look look! Fish" pointing from her place on her father's large shoulders the three Kuchiki's watched as gold and white koi fish swam aside each other in their tiny pool

"How cute they are"

"Can I have one daddy?"

"Hmm having fish is a big responsibility Rukia"

"I know but I promise to take care of it! Please!" looking at the father with her large purple eyes, again Byakuya found himself falling for the same look his wife gave him.

"Alright alright which one do you want?"

"Those two! The ones with the white fins and the blue one"

"Two Rukia?"

"Yup! I'm going to name her Shirayuki! And the blue one Hyourinmaru!"

"Eh! Those are big names for such little fish"

"They are small but big like me daddy!" jumping up and down on the ground, her father had placed her on, in both hands the tiny girl held her new pet fish.

From the remainder of the evening the Kuchiki ate to their hearts content, watched plays, played games, won prizes and made wondrous memories that till this day remained precious to them.

* * *

Since that day, those two fish she had bought so long ago had babies of their own and now dozens of blue and white fish swam in the aquarium Rukia held in her room. If anything they would be one of the few things she'd cherish more when she returned to her world.

But now, Rukia made herself busy by simply walking in public but far enough to be overlooked by her host family. The raven haired girl was looking for one person and one person only; the King.

Who the King was she had no idea. What the King looked like she had no idea. How the King would act towards her she had no idea…..now she had time to think it over…

"Maybe this wasn't the best idea"

"Hey here's one!" too late.

"Huh!? Wha-what no!"

"Come one! It's not hard!" without listening to the girl, the large happy man pulled Rukia into the circle of dancing men and women. All around people were singing and twirling; pulling a less than enthusiastic raven haired beauty with them

"Wha?" without much vision to see, blaring music and multi-colored people filled her vision pushing and pulling the petite girl

"Ow! Stop pushing me! L-let me out" quickly panic and fear engulfed her senses

"Hey! Let me go! S-stop push-"

"Don't push against the crowd, go with it" came a voice from within the motley folk

"What? Who-" not having to finish her thought process Rukia closed her eyes and let her nerves calm down, letting the music take her, showing her the moves her feet were suppose to make and slowly but surely; Rukia was dancing.

She moved her arms and swung her body to the beat, following the people as the circle turned this way and that, cheering and yelling the petite girl smiled; how long ago was it did she feel so free? So alive!

As soon as the music started it ended, and a new round of people came tumbling into a brand new circle, making her way out into the open Rukia breathed in a sigh of fresh air.

She needed that. To just forget everything and just have fun, nodding the raven haired girl felt great! Better than she had in a long while when an old lady caught her attention

"Here! Let me help you"

"O-oh thank you young lady"

"My pleasure" placing the bag on the table, the woman gave Rukia a smile

"You're so kind, not many youngsters help the old these days"

"I'm not like many" sharing the smile, having sit down beside the woman the two watched from the side as the town partied

"No, but you are like a young man I once knew"

"Hmm?"

"He was a kind young man, always polite but he wasn't always like that you know" turning in her seat, the woman laughed with light air Rukia didn't mind she was about to be told a story from a complete stranger

"What was he like?"

"Oh he was arrogant, always thought he knew better than everyone else"

"What changed him?"

"I'm not so sure, one day he just came to me telling me he would get his act together because if he didn't he'd never find the one person he was always looking for"

"…He sounds like someone you loved deeply" with a light nod of her head, the woman smiled gracefully

"I still love that child"

"…Might I ask where he is now?"

"He's with his older brother, far away from here now locked away…in a castle…" seeing the woman's once bright and vibrant eyes fade to sadness Rukia knew to drop the subject and instead turned to another topic

"Have you stayed here long?"

"In this town? For as long as I've lived" pride in the woman's voice

"Is it always like this?"

"No, but it's always so peaceful…."

"Ma'am?" looking over to the woman, Rukia caught once again sadness in her faded eyes "are you alright?"

"Hmm? Oh I'm sorry, I'm just an old lady talking away, a beautiful young woman like yourself should go and enjoy herself" without so much as a say in the matter Rukia found herself being pushed off into the crowd once more, disappearing into the circle of dancing folks.

"So peaceful are these times…how I wish I could see the end of my days like this" casting her old eyes up into the blue sky the old lady felt the sun on her aged skin and glanced around her, towards the crowd and her little town; catching a glimpse from the corner of her eyes.

"Gasp! Y-you can't be" and then it was gone.

* * *

Walking around the small town, and keeping far from the dancing crowd as she could Rukia took in her surroundings, everything in the village had an old aged feel to it but still so vibrant with life and jolly.

Each building had deep intricate engravings within the structure. Everything seemed to have a story to tell, smiling Rukia gently placed a soft white hand onto its body feeling the chipped wood work, broken rock, or cracked paint; it was beauty in its true form.

"I wonder if back at home it was ever like this…before civilization expanded" drawing her attention from the buildings Rukia leaned her back onto it and scratched her head. She had no time to be entranced by the aged building she needed to find the King; surely he would know how she could get back home!

Glancing around the petite girl looked for a person not drunk or too busy to care, to ask if they knew where the King lived and what he looked like.

Circling the town once and then again, the girl couldn't find a single person capable of answering her questions!

"Impossible! Either their too drunk, too busy or too young to know anything!" nibbling her bottom lip as she would do when she was thinking, Rukia didn't notice a pair of dark brown eyes catching her form.

"You!"

"Hmm?! M-Momori! Shit!" turning on her heel as fast as she could in the mod of people, Rukia ran as the brown haired girl followed

'_Damn it! I can't let her see me!_' pushing past men and woman of multicolored robes and all shapes and sizes without warning the raven haired girl tripped! Tumbling onto a person until they hit the ground with a dull thud

"Ow...oh! I'm so sorry!"

"It-"

"Come back here you!"

"Damn it!" turning her head to glance at the approaching brunette, Rukia tried to untangle herself from the person but as she got up, she fell once more.

"Your knee"

"No not now!" without a moment's hesitation the person wrapped an arm around Rukia's waist and pulled her up

"Come on, I'll take you to a place where you can hide"

"Uh- mm" and the two disappeared into the mob of color, just as Momori arrived

"Huh? Where did- I could have sworn it was that girl…." she murmured before walking back to where she came from.

* * *

"I think we're safe now"

"Thanks for saving me"

"No problem" gently settling the girl down onto the wide base of a willow tree, the person took their seat beside her.

Now that she gained her breath back, Rukia finally looked at the person who helped her into better light, it was a boy. About a year maybe older than her, his hair was stark white unlike anything she had seen before, small frame but well build from what she could tell, lightly sun kissed skin and the most of all; his light green eyes that pierced her directly.

He noticed she was staring and smiled, she in turn looked the other way with a light flush along her cheeks

"S-sorry"

"No harm done, how is your knee?"

"It's getting better, just a light stretch of the tendon but it'll heal" messaging her leg, Rukia asked "why did you help me?"

"Hmm?"

"Back there, I fell on you and you just help me in return"

"I figured you were running from someone you didn't want finding you"

"…"

"I can relate" this got her attention

"You're running from someone?"

"Yeah" she would have asked more about it but something in the boy's voice stopped her.

"Well anyway thanks again for the help"

"It was a pleasure" showing the girl a grin, the boy then relaxed to the tree

"How did you know to find this place?"

"I come here sometimes, to get away from it all"

"It's beautiful" now taking in her surrounding, wide amethyst eyes took in every detail of the soft grass under her, the soft breeze of the scented wind dancing along with the tendrils of vibrant green.

"It is"

"I wish I could get away to a place like this"

"…"

"All I have is the light of the moon and that lumpy log I sit on sometimes" not knowing why she was saying this to a stranger, Rukia turned to the boy in her left and gave him a smile "but it's been good to me so far, so I can't complain"

"…you're quite an odd person"

"What? How so!"

"I'm not sure, you just are" giving the girl a side glance, the boy returned to his rest

"Well you're not all that perfect either, mister!"

"…"

"I mean white hair, what did you do bleach it?"

"This is my natural color"

"Yeah right! The only guy I know with white hair was rumored to have leukemia when he was a kid"

"..what's leukemia?"

"..Huh?" this once again caught her attention. Who didn't know what the disease was

"Its-"

"And what's bleaching?"

"What!" come on now! Bleaching! Now everyone knew what that was- where was this guy living for the last human race?

"Not to mention your way of talking is odd too"

"I talk perfectly fine, thanks" folding her arms Rukia pouted "who are you anyway? I mean what's your name?"

"It's only proper to introduce yourself first rather than ask another person their name"

"Mph" making a strained sound, Rukia turned to the boy and blew him a raspberry "be that way then!" getting up, Rukia made her way out from under the willow tree

"Where are you going?"

"Back to town, where else! Goodbye mister whatever your name is" and with that the girl stomped off, as green orbs watched her with a glint of amusement.

"Raven black hair, and proud purple eyes…heh, I'll be sure to remember her."


	6. Chapter 6

The remainder of the day Rukia had found little information on the man who was suppose to help her get home, he was a tall man with a kind face but an iron fist ready to kill- and that he lived in the palace which hid between the mountains of icy mist.

"Not much help but enough I guess, looks like it's time I get back before the others do" and without anyone noticing, the party was minus one.

"You're back, and before Mister Ginmaru and the other returned too"

"Yeah, it wouldn't be smart to be gone when they got back" making her way to the dark teen now dressed in her light blue puffy dress of a uniform

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yes I did, do you by any chance know where the palace is?"

"Where the Royal family resides, no"

"O-oh"

"Not many know where it is other than it's placed between two mountains which have been rumored to always be hidden in an icy mist of some kind"

"Some kind? Don't you have winter here?"

"Yes but rarely do we have snow"

"What?" no way! Rukia loved snow.

"There is no logical reason for the mountains to have mist of cold ice or whatever it is"

"…" keeping to herself, the tiny girl couldn't help but scoff _as if anything in this place is logical _

Silently the two teens worked on what they could, some time pasted until the large door opened; letting in the family of the house.

"That was quite a party!" Ginmaru exclaimed, genuine excitement in his snake like voice as he walked around the house as if inspecting the twos work and all it's imperfections

"You two seem to be hard at work"

"Yes, sir"

"Keep this up and I might let you come to the next time the town has a party" giving the occupants of the house his smile, the silver haired man left to the other room leaving the four teens.

"So you were working here all this time, girl"

"My name is Kuchiki Rukia, and yes I have been working"

"Weird because I saw a girl who looked just like you at the party" Momori cast her brown eyes directly at Rukia, sharp and taunting- weaseling, inquiring her true whereabouts.

"No, I was at the party" shocking all three persons in the room with her bluntness, Rukia hid nothing- she had no reason to hide anything

"I knew it! You aren't allowed to leave this house without our permission! You're a sl-!"

"I am not your slave, nor am I his or Ginmaru's I am a tenant of this household nothing more"

"You!" before she could do or say anything more, her older brother placed a harsh hand on her shoulder; stopping her in her tracks.

"Momori I'll take it from here, go see if father wants them to do anything more"

"Brother…"

"Go" without a look to the younger girl, the brunette ran off. Leaving them

"Indeed you are not our slave or servant, but you do well to learn some manners" did that just sound déjà vu-ish for a moment?

"I have manners, but I know who I'm suppose to use them on"

"And we do not make your list?" Uryo raised one of his fine blue brows

"No" again with the bluntness

"Mr. Uryo let me make up for Rukia's mistake"

"No, let her make up for it" raising her head in show of pride- challenging the boy of his authority "go get four buckets of water from the lake in the back"

"Fine" without another word, the petite girl left the house. Finding four good looking buckets, she left two behind and openly treaded into the forest.

* * *

Once more the raven haired beauty let her sight be filled with glass greenery, allowing the sweet scented moist wind carry her to the lake, gleaming and pure.

Casting her pale face into the crisp large sapphire, she withdrew and let the sun softly and gently caress her face into warmth. When a voice called…..

"Rukia-chan you're back!"

"Eh! R- you're the cat lady"

"Cat lady? Is that my new nickname!" smiling from the tree she appeared on, the strawberry-blonde woman jumped down and landed on all fours, calmly walking towards the raven haired teen.

"No not really"

"Hmm?" peering closely at the girl until they were almost touching noses, when Rukia pulled back

"What?"

"You seem more happy"

"I- I do not, I still want to go back home" returning to her work, the teen filled one bucket

"You can only go home when you find what you're looking for"

"Please stop talking to me if you keep talking in riddles"

"Aww come on Rukia-chan! You were so close!"

"What are you talking about?" looking angrily at the woman, she in turn jumped back and laid by the lake's edge playing with the water, sending soft ripples along the large blue crystal

"Did you have fun at the party today?"

"Don't change the- wait how did you know?"

"I know all about you Rukia-chan!"

"…"

"So did you have fun?"

"It wasn't anything special" filling the second bucket

"Hmm….then I guess the celebration at the castle won't interest you, how sad" making a face the busty woman let out a yawn, showing her sharp canine teeth

"…what celebration?"

"At the castle there will be an annual celebration in hopes of a new winter"

"Winter? But I thought they would celebrate summer or spring…"

"Yes, but here winter is the season most important" her grey eyes bright and glittering against the sun,

"Wh-"

"It's a time when the year past is over, when the world is finally allowed to sleep and await a new beginning"

"…"

"A time when all is covered in a pure blanket of white innocence and everyone can start again, for the new year"

"I never thought about it like that" placing a tight bite to her bottom lip, Rukia had to admit she didn't dislike the idea either; unlike many she loved the winter. It was her time, her season- she loved the snow, the cold and biting air, the ice blanket over water, white grey skies and pink nights. She loved it all.

"Yup! It's a big celebration here"

"..when is it?"

"In a month or two actually, are you going to go?"

"..if it's at the castle I have a possibility of finding the King, you said only he could help me get back home so I have no other choice now do I?"

"I said that?"

"Yes" looking at the woman where she lay, getting up with a confused look on her cat like face, whiskers moving up and down waving.

"I thought I said he could help or He could help"

"What?" standing up with her arms crossed Rukia glared, this Cat woman was really getting on her nerves with her words, her constant popping up out of nowhere, her face and riddles. When she got back home Rukia would make sure to do something about Rangiku's personality- it was too close to this Cat woman's.

"You'll see Rukia-chan! Have fun at the party!" and with that the busty woman got up and jumped into the air, flipping into a tree branch and disappearing into the thin scented wind.

* * *

Thinking all the way back, the girl returned to the house and again went back into the forest to fill the second round of water. Finally done she went back to her work with the dark skinned teen, silently.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…are you feeling ill?"

"Hmm? No why?"

"You're too quiet" Yasutora exclaimed worriedly about the girl, who in turn smiled

"Sorry no I was just thinking"

"About the castle?"

"Sort of how did you know?" glancing at the guy with her dark purple eyes, he turned to glance at her with his dark brown orbs

"It was the last topic you were talking about"

"Haha right"

"…you know Rukia, there is a celebration at the castle soon"

"…really?"

"Yes, I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd want to go but-"

"..Yasutora thank you, but I'm fine really" smiling at the boy, she made sure he couldn't see what she was truly planning.

It wasn't a smart idea or anything, hell it was the possibility the most idiotic idea she had in her entire life but- she had to try. It could be the only thing that could get her home, that in itself was enough for her to try….even if it meant….

* * *

Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to a month and still nothing much changed within the Ginmaru household. The days got shorter and the air cold, tree green glass faded to silver crystal but none fell from the high tops; the blue sky shadowed over and gave way to the grey night beneath.

Winter was coming, and with it the party- and with that her plan was beginning to take form.

"Ginmaru I have a question to ask you"

"..hmm what is it Rukia-chan?" flinching at the man's smile as he looked up at her from his book, Rukia kept her heart beat under control- he was not going to get her to squirm, no matter how much she despised the man.

"You know where the castle is don't you"

"Castle? What do you mean?" playing a innocent look, the girl continued

"The castle in the mountains, where the King resides"

"Ah yes that castle, why ever would you want to know?"

"…"

"..ah! Could it be Rukia-chan wants to go to the winter celebration in a few weeks?"

"..yes"

"Hmm? I can't hear you Rukia-chan"

"I said yes!" looking at the man currently sitting at his desk, who got up and walked towards the petite girl, she stood her ground. She had decided to come to talk to the man in **his** office, **away** from Yasutora or anyone else, this was **her** problem.

"Ohh and you've come to ask for my permission?"

"No" this got the man's attention, as well as the gleam of his blood red eyes.

"I wanted to ask where it was so I could go, I didn't come to ask for your permission"

"You work for me or did you forget that little princess" standing close to the girl, until he was an arms length from her; Rukia had her back to the door- but she didn't look away.

"I'm not your slave only your tenant, if I leave"

"You cannot come back" without warning the silver haired man placed his hand on the girl's head, a dark smile on his lips as he closed the distance between the two. Rukia bit back a whimper

"Is that what you want?"

"Yes"

"So you'll leave Yasutora after all he's done for you?" grinning his pale face split into two

"He would understand"

"Oh are you sure?"

"Yes he would, because he's my friend and the only person here to try and get to know me" pushing the man's hand off her head, the girl turned and moved away from the snake-ish male.

"Are you afraid of me Rukia-chan?"

"...do you know how to get to the castle"

"Yes I do"

"Tell me" shaking his finger at the younger girl, "Uryo was right when he said you didn't have manners"

"I have manners I just choose not to use them on you"

"Oh? Is that right"

"Yes now tell me or I'm leaving without your help"

"Heh then go" this got the girl's attention. She wasn't expecting the man to just let her go

"Ah I see you didn't really plan on leaving hmm?"

"I do plan on leaving"

"But?"

"…I'll go" clenching her fists the purple eyed girl knew she had nothing to get the man to speak, she could swallow her fear and stand her ground, look him in the eye and disrespect his authority but- she could not swallow her pride.

"I'll expect you to never return"

"No"

"Don't worry we'll take good care of your dear friend" he spoke softly almost mockingly as he closed the door behind her- cutting off before she could respond.

Gathering what she could, Rukia took the dress she was forced to wear some other things and quietly left the house. Thankfully Momori and Uryo weren't home or for sure they wouldn't give her a moment's peace.

But- just as she was closing the large wooden door a person stood in her way.

"..Why are dressed like that Rukia?"

"…Y-Yasutora"


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you to **Youshallnotpass**, **Veldare**, **Asagiri**, **HappinessPeonyBlossoms**, **Icicleriver22, Sakurakitty2, mauled by squirrels **and** xXxMiserableLoveFairyxXx **for reviewing the last chapter and keeping my spirits up~!

* * *

Of all the times, she had to see him now. Rukia mentally cursed and bit her bottom lip

"Are you going somewhere?"

"Yasutora I- I'm leaving"

"Huh?"

"I'm leaving this house and not coming back"

"Why" dark brown orbs looked confused and slightly hurt, paining Rukia's dark purple eyes.

"I don't belong here Yasutora"

"..what do you mean"

"I mean here, in this world…I'm from far away remember and I want to go home"

"..I see" nodding his brown wavy hair hid his eyes,

"It's not because I don't like living with you or anything, I mean- you're one of the very few people who've become my closest friends"

"…"

"You know why I have to do this, right Yasutora?"

"Yes I do" nodding to himself he looked through his hair and smiled "if you ever need a place you know where to find me"

"Thank you" hugging the boy, she finally said to goodbye to the first person who cared for her in this world, gave her a warm place to sleep, food to eat and a someone to talk to.

When she returned home Rukia swore, she would thank Sado for everything; even if she had never spoken to the senior before and would most likely have no idea what she was talking about….it was the least she could do.

Walking away down the red velvet road, without looking back Rukia let a tear fall from her eyes and a sad smile fade into light.

* * *

After some time Rukia landed herself into the town square and looking around, she tried to ask for directions to one place.

"The palace? No I don't know where it is"

"Don't waste my time girl! Go away!"

"Isn't near those icy mountains or something?"

"I don't know go ask someone else" and time and time again the raven haired girl was shot down by person after person until the morning had left her and the afternoon rush was coming.

Finding a seat away from the crowd, the girl sighed

"Why don't any of my ideas work anymore!" back home Rukia was one of the best people to go to with a problem, many a times the student council came to her to fix its problems even after the million of times she told them she wasn't a part of the council, she solved her friends problems, fixed teachers dilemmas but…here. It amounted to nothing.

"Wait! That woman that old lady, she talked about her grandson and how he was at the castle now! I-it's a long shot but it might be the same castle I'm looking for" getting up the raven haired beauty once more started to ask the denizens of the town.

Describing the features she could remember from the some weeks ago, after the sixth person she had asked, finally an answer she could go with!

"Oh here yeah she lives on the edge of town, a little cottage with a huge garden of flowers, over there"

"Thank you" bowing she ran off in the direction the man pointed out and before long she found it, _when he said huge garden he meant it _she thought to herself. This woman put the Garden Club's garden to shame and that was saying something considering the club's flower bed took up the entire roof of the school.

Slowly going up the steps, Rukia knocked on the small dark wooden door- deep engraving filled with color popped out and gave the door personally. When the door opened

"Who is it?"

"Umm ma'am it's me from the town party a few weeks ago, the celebration of the twins births..."

"Oh! the young woman who helped me with my bags!"

"Yes!" nodding with a smile, Rukia looked into the woman's bright face

"Please come in"

"Thank you" bowing in respect, she let herself in and closed the door behind her.

"Tea? I'm sorry I wasn't expecting company"

"Um yes please if it's not too much trouble"

"Oh no trouble at all, I'll be right back" walking into the kitchen, Rukia took in the surroundings of the small cottage. It was quaint and cozy, warm with an aged feel to it, different from the Ginmaru family's house in so many ways- but Rukia found herself liking this place a thousand times more.

Coming back the woman placed a sweet smelling tea cup in front of her, taking it she took a sip

"It's delicious thank you"

"You're very welcome and you must tell me how did you ever find out where I lived?" sitting in a large chair, while Rukia took the couch

"I asked around town until a kind woman told me where you lived"

"Ah I see, now might I ask why you came to see me? Not that I don't appreciate the company" smiling sweetly, Rukia found herself smiling just the same

"I know its an odd question ma'am but about you grandson you last told me he and his brother went to the castle?"

"...Yes, I did say that"

"Um do you know what castle they went to?"

"It was the castle where the Royal family resides"

"The one in the icy mountains? The one that is holding the winter celebration in a few weeks?"

"Yes, that's the one" smiling the woman took a sip of her tea and asked "why do you ask?"

"I want to go to the castle, I need to talk to the King"

"The King? Oh my dear no one is allowed to speak to the King" amethyst orbs widened in shock, no one told her that! But-!

"I-I still have to try, ma'am could you please tell me how to get to the palace?" staring back at her with stern eyes of black, the old lady closed eyes and sighed

"Yes, of course I will tell you"

"Thank you!" beaming Rukia listened intently, as the kind woman explained to her the routes and things she would pass, the towns and cities she's have to skip and go through. In the end the trip would take a two and a half days at best, four at worst- but Rukia kept her optimism up.

"Thank you again ma'am, for the tea and the directions!" getting up she bowed low, grateful and began to excuse herself from the house when

"You're not heading out already are you?"

"I am, I need to get there as fast as I can"

"But it's already getting dark, dear you're just a little girl you can't leave when things go bump in the night in these parts"

"…I was thinking about camping out in the forest somewhere, really it's not a problem for me"

"Oh you must stay at least for the night" looking at the young girl with pleading aged eyes

"I really couldn't trouble you anymore"

"It's no trouble at all, I would love to have you stay the night"

"…are you sure?"

"Yes"

"…." not wanting to say "no" to the kind and gentle lady, Rukia agreed. One night wouldn't hurt her.

"Oh yes, in my rush I've forgotten to ask you your name"

"It's Rukia, Kuchiki Rukia pleased to meet you"

"That's a beautiful name Rukia-chan, my name is Hitsugaya Koyuki pleased to meet you"

* * *

Come morning Rukia was met with the sweet aroma of breakfast,

"What's this?"

"Some breakfast, you're leaving today right?"

"Yes"

"Then have some food, you'll need your energy" Koyuki smiled, to a flushed Rukia.

"Umm thank you" giving the woman a shy smile, the raven haired beauty sat down and ate with the old woman. Things felt normal again.

Sitting at the table filled with good food and wonderful company, the two shared laughs and stories of the past; and in a long time for both women, it felt like they were a family.

Until time was time for Rukia to leave.

"Do you have to go?"

"I'm sorry but… I do, thank you so much for all you've done for me Hitsugaya-san"

"Please call me Koyuki, Rukia-chan it was a pleasure to have you at my house"

"Thank you again, Koyuki-dono, take care"

"You too my dear, I hope one day we'll see one another again" as she was heading out of the door all her things in a bag, the girl looked behind her with a grin Ichigo and Renji would be proud of.

"I hope so too" and with that Rukia left the woman's house and began her journey to find the castle where the one person who could help her, resides.

Knowing she had a long way to go, the small teenager set out early; dressed in her combat boots and black and purple clothes she appeared in, along with some food and things she could sell off when she needed to, Rukia kept her mind closed to wandering and focused on her goal.

To reach the King in the shortest amount of time. And although the bigger part of her wanted nothing more than to get home to her friends and possibility her family… a smaller part of her would miss Koyuki-dono and Yasutora.

But…in the long run, she wasn't really suppose to meet them right? This place was all some dream like world that made no logical sense, these people had traditions and laws she had never heard of, and…everyone had the faces of people she already knew.

….she was never supposed to come to this place, never met to meet these people…so why…?

"Why do I feel like I'll miss them so much" hiding her face beneath her black hair, she didn't see a couple of black and red and orange colored boys get in her way, until….

"Ow!"

"Ah! Watch it!"

"Yeah you could have hurt us!"

"Me!? You two bumped into me!" came the unconscious response when almost automatically Rukia knew who those voices belonged too, and when she turned she automatically regretted it.

"Hey look Ogichi it's that girl…uhh"

"Rukia!"

"Yeah Rukia, how are ya Rukia?" the man with deep red hair grinned as the other with orange hair waved

"…Ogichi and Ijner right?"

"Yeah you remember!" Ogichi nodded his orange and black hat bouncing on his head

"..what do you guys want" remaining calm in front of the two who looked like her best friends, thankfully being around the Cat woman helped her- as now she no longer felt pain in her heart.

"Nothin' much just bored" Ijner spoke with his light street accent him and Rukia sometimes used together.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm heading to the castle in the icy mountains" this caught the boy's attention,

"What!? Why are you going there!?"

"Yeah I hear the King's a real creep"

"Just thinking about him pisses me off!" Ogichi scolded, making the same face Ichigo would do when something annoyed him.

"Chill Ogichi"

"..either way I'm still going" Rukia spoke up, turning around to face the direction she was already heading in, she took a step forward when….

"Why are you heading that way Rukia?"

"Yeah you're taking the long way" Ogichi said, folding his arms across his chest

"What are you talking about? I'm going the way I was told to go" she was sure this was the path Koyuki-dono told her to go, she made sure to check twice just in case.

"Nope I'm sure you're going the long way"

"The short cut is through the woods over there" Ijner pointed his red and black clothes shimmering in the sun.

"…I'm sure it is" ignoring the two, the girl continued went on her way when they called back

"Alright take the long way, you'll lose"

"Two days at most, but whatever right Ijner"

"Yeah see if we care" shaking his head, the redhead turned on his heel back to where he came from

"See you around Rukia" Ogichi said looking back at the raven haired girl, turning back to follow his red and black clothed friend. Both disappearing into the horizon she had come from.

"…." looking down at her feet, once she was alone Rukia bit her lip and took a sharp turn from the velvet road and into the woods.


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you **Sakurakitty2, Asagiri, Icicleriver22**

* * *

"Why the hell did I listen to those two!" scolding at herself the purple eyed teen clenched her fists in anger.

She had been wandering the woods for a day and a half already and she had gotten nowhere! No town in sight, no bustling city could be heard, and no mountains…damn it all!

Those two clowns lied to her! And she listened! How stupid could she be, all her life for as long as she'd known Ichigo and Renji they always played tricks and pranks on her. They played with their words and made her believe in such stupid things, and these two look-alikes were the same.

Sitting down at the base of a tree, Rukia rested trying to catch her breath. Trying to clear her mind of all the mess, she closed her eyes and let the scent of the wind and the soft sounds of the woods embrace her; instantly calming her nerves.

Opening wide orbs of purple, Rukia looked around and tried to figure out where she was,

"Back tracking my steps would be impossible at this stage so then, all I'm left with is to go straight….but" the possibility of getting even more lost and wandering round in circles kept the girl planted where she stood.

What could she do? If she didn't move she'd be stuck here forever and then-!

"No ones out looking for me either and I have no form of communication" realizing her position in this Rukia fell back onto the base of the tree and hugged her legs.

She had never felt this hopeless before, so weak and vulnerable….so scared.

She let her tears fall, not caring anymore; nothing mattered anymore. Here was where she would die, with no one knowing what happened to her, in a place far from home. What did anything matter anymore!?

"Someone please f-find me...." a whisper on the wind soft enough for only her ears. And another.

"Rukia please don't cry"

"Ahh!" looking up in shock at the sudden voice calling her name, the raven haired girl saw a man standing before her. Dressed in a black Japanese style kimono, his long hair stood against his form white and proud, flowing about his body angelically.

"Heh, I'm sorry did I scare you?"

"W-who are you!?" backing into the tree, Rukia could feel the bark pressing against her back harsh and rough but looking up at the stranger, she withheld a gasp. It was the only kind senior in The senior group back at home!

"Ukitake Juushiro-senpai!" he had been her tutor once when she was just a sophomore, since then they talked often in the halls and at rallies; of all the senior other than Kotetsu-senpai and Kotsubaki-senpai, he was her favorite.

Kind, smart, he always made her laugh and feel at ease; he was easy to talk to and learn from. The ideal representative of the senior class during school board meetings and such.

"Hello Rukia"

"Y-you know me!" was it possible!?

"I do" smiling down at the girl, the young man kneeled to the raven haired girl who grabbed onto him, tight and shaking with fear and happiness.

"Y-you know me! s-senpai!"

"Shh Rukia it's alright now, don't cry" patting the girl's head gently, they stayed in that position for some time holding onto each other. Until finally Rukia just shook, she released herself from the man and looked into deep brown orbs

"Senpai h-how did you get here!? Do you know where we are?!" so many questions filled her head, all running at a speed she was barely able to comprehend.

"Rukia I'm glad you're okay"

"Okay? I was about to go mad! This horrible place! I want to go home!"

"I know Rukia, but you have to listen to me" looking directly into dark purple orbs, the white haired man continued "I'm not here to take you home"

"What-!"

"I'm here to lead you towards the path you need to take"

"W-why? If you're here senpai I can just-"

"No you can't" realizing where this was going, this meant one thing

"You're just like them- those people who look like everyone back at home! You just respond to 'senpai'!"

"Yes and no, I am Ukitake Juushirou but I am also not him"

"Which is it! You can't be two" glaring up at the man, Rukia stood up as he followed her movement, swiftly.

"I can because you believe I can be"

"What? Stop just stop talking in riddles!" shaking her black hair

"I'm your guardian angel Rukia"

* * *

Guardian angel? What! There was no such thing as a guardian angel! Especially not for Rukia, who was this creep taking her for?

"Like hell you are!"

"I am whether you choose to believe me or not, I'm here to help you get through this Rukia"

"Do what you want, I don't care" making sure she had her bag of things, the girl began to move from the white haired man when his words stopped her in her tracks

"If you don't pass this test Rukia, I won't take you to that Chappy store you've been dieing to go to"

"H-how?"

"That's what I said once wasn't it? Last year when I was tutoring you in Japanese- you aced the test without a problem that time"

"…" speechless Rukia found all words were lost on her tongue. How did this fake know the exact words Ukitake-senpai used on her to get her to study? how did this fake know of Chappy? how did he know of her problem with Japanese!?

"Who are you" none of the fakes knew of their world, so…who…what was this man?

"I am Ukitake Juushirou, your guardian angel"

"Don't toy with me, I don't believe in guardian angels!"

"Maybe but I'm still here aren't I?" smiling at her with a familiar face, Rukia bit her lip.

"Why do you-"

"Because you believe I should"

"Then tell me! Why are you here if you aren't going to take me home!"

"You needed someone to help you, right?"

"…" realizing what he meant, Rukia bit her tongue- she did need someone, anyone…and he came.

"How are you going to help me?"

"By leading you out of here"

"How?"

"So curious and overly cautious as always I see, you haven't changed Rukia" folding his arms across his chest with a gentle smile on his face, his white hair blew in the soft wind- surrounding him in a white cloud.

"…can you get me out of here?"

"Yes, I can" closing the gap between the two, the man took hold of the girl's waist and in a flash of light, the smell of forest wood was gone.

Replacing it with the scent of mountain air.

* * *

Falling to the ground, coughing at the sudden loss of air, Rukia finally opened her eyes and widened at the sight.

They were really out! Out of that god-forsaken wood and into the wide out field of flowers, the transparent blue and shaded black sky over her, the smell of the wind strong and comforting.

"How did we"

"I told you I'd get you out, guardian angels have cool powers too you know?"

Looking up from the ground she sat on, the teen got up and dusted herself off. "Thank you"

"It was my pleasure"

"…but I still don't believe anything you said"

"Heh I didn't think you would, it took you a half a month to learn to trust me enough to teach you Japanese"

"…." turning her head in a light heat, so what if she didn't like seniors? They were all snobbish and thought they were so cool just because they were older than everyone else; she had reason to not trust to the guy. The fact that he kept smiling at her, with that kind smile of his, was reason enough as well.

"Rukia" grabbing her attention, she looked up

"What?"

"I've come when you needed me most and I will come again, as long as you need me remember this. But I will not come every time- you have to find your own way home by yourself"

"How do I do that? I thought about asking the King but he doesn't talk to people like me"

"I can't help you anymore than what I've already told you, Rukia, you can do this I know you; you're a smart girl"

"Senpai!" but already the man was beginning to fade

"Don't hold back, be the girl who I remember tutoring all year long, the girl who bowed to no one"

"Ukitake-senpai!" he was gone. And again Rukia found herself alone.

"…senpai" standing on the road she had abandoned, rearranging her bag, she looked about her surroundings when Rukia saw a sight she had been looking for!

"The icy mountains! I'm almost there" tightening her hold on the only belongings she had, the raven haired girl started on her journey once more; this time she wasn't going to stray from the path.

* * *

Heading into the town she was scheduled to arrive in, Rukia got her directions once more just to make sure she was on the right way.

"The castle? Yeah its that way"

"How long do you think it will take?"

"Hmm about three days if you walk, you're walking right?"

"I am" nodding at the man

"Then you'd best pack food or other necessities, the next town isn't until you reach the lake"

"The lake?"

"This one here" pointing at the picture on the map, Rukia nodded her raven hair

"I see, thank you" bowing at the man, he left as she turned to look at the map once more. Marking her route, the teen neatly folded the paper and looked around for the things she needed most.

Selling what she took from the Ginmaru household, as well as the frilly dress Rukia made sure she had enough food to last her until she would get to the next town. And so once again the girl set off into the distance.

Checking the map every so often, Rukia made stops when she needed it and continued even into night. Sleeping on the ground, hiding from the animals that set out at twilight, eating rationally and staying close to the road Rukia never let herself think of anything else other than getting to the lake.

Before long she finally arrived.

"It's beautiful!" noticing the crystal clear blue water in front of her, Rukia headed into the quaint little town caressing the lake by its side; surrounding the landmark by a field of wild flowers.

Flowers that weren't made of candy unlike the ones near the town she had set out from, but flowers of all colors and textures, pattern covered like cloth. Scentless they felt rough and smooth on her legs as she passed where her boots didn't protect; prickly, soft, bumpy, and silky. Every texture she knew passed her legs and sight,

"Amazing"

Letting herself into the town, once again Rukia was blown away. Unlike any of the other cities and towns she had passed each one felt aged and faded, dyed with time and bound in history. But this place, beside the crystal lake.

Everything shown with a sheen and a glint as if made by glass itself; a tint of blue in every shadow and flash of light that was cast onto her eyes. The people were laid back and carefree, no bustling women running on errands, no men working on buildings or arguing, just children playing, elders sitting by the water or in the shade. Everything felt so blithe.

And for longer than a moment, Rukia felt like staying, just to see how live moved without a care.

"I have to admit it's really tempting" smiling the girl quickly found a place to trade and sell the rest of her things giving her just enough to survive on until she reached the palace.

Taking her time the raven haired beauty walked through the town, enjoying the scenery and the pure bliss of it all; unconsciously she made sure to burn all the details of the lake and it's water people into her mind.

Such tranquilly had no right to be forgotten.

At the edge of the town after walking most of the day, Rukia left and continued along the road. Away from society, the fields of green and blue tinted sky with no sun seemed innocent and so forbidden. It was nothing compared to the town she had just left but when she thought of it, other than its annoying and riddle speaking denizens; every town, city, forest and wood was a recreation of a world worth living in to Rukia.

She loved the glass trees that would normally make her mother sick, she loved the calm towns that would normally drive her father crazy, she loved the vast fields of flowers that she could lose herself in.

Night and day were a gift to her that she could take in at her pace, scrutinizing it, breaking it down and falling in love with it all over again. This place was her world….a place she could call a place to live in, and not pass day by day with no reason.

Deep purple orbs looked up at the spot she could feel the sun was suppose to be and see an outline of the yellow ball turn red, a sign showing dusk was coming. Ignoring it for the moment Rukia continued down the road until finally the cold of the autumn night stopped her to camp out.

Setting a fire, eating her rations calmly and in thought Rukia was suddenly struck cold. _Someone's watching me_ she calmly reasoned, feeling a bearing on her back- watching her movements.

Slowly the young teenage girl put her things down, grabbed her pack and without another thought srang up from her seat and ran into the darkness, a howl and a snarl followed.

Running with the speed that would make the track team captain pale with fear and flush in embarrassment, the raven haired girl ran for her life. The sound of paws on grass ran after her, following her shadow, taunting her breath. Holding her things all Rukia could do was run.

Tears of fear and horror flooding her vision as she thought of her family, her friends everyone she loved and cherished…..everything and everyone was going to disappear without her saying goodbye…..without them knowing what happened to her.

Her life was going to end.

"Someone! Help me! PLEASE!!!!!" a trip of her foot sent her flying to the ground, broken and fallen; looking up a pair of bright ominous yellow eyes and sharp white canine teeth bared down on her and the last she saw was a flash of white.


	9. Chapter 9

Thank you to- **Icicleriver22, Veldare, Asagiri, mauled by squirrels, Sakurakitty2 **

* * *

_Am I dead….?_ her first logical thought, darkness filled her sight and Rukia could feel no pain. She was floating, in pure peace she didn't want to wake up from.

Death by murder was suppose to be painful, the smell and sight of blood was suppose to form the based of her subconscious mind before she would fade into wherever she was suppose to go. Death wasn't suppose to be painless and calm. A sense of comfort and the urge to stay….dead.

So then what was this? Where was she and why didn't she…

"Wake up girl" _who?_

"Get up, hey open your eyes!" _I've heard this voice before….but I_

"Damn it wake up!" a sudden pain shot through her knee and purple eyes opened to a pair of bright emerald green eyes.

"Wha- ah my knee!"

"I see you're not dead, thankfully I got here before that hollow could do anything, yeah sorry about that but I had to do something to wake you up"

"Hollow?"

"That beast that was chasing you" suddenly remembering what had happened Rukia got up as fast as she could and held herself trying to find if that 'hollow' had any followers

"Don't worry I took care of it" noticing the sword in the other's hand for the first time, Rukia took it all in

"Y-you saved me- how"

"I would think you'd figure that out" raising the sword and wiping it free of the blood that clung to it's body of metal.

"How did you find me I thought I was far from the town by the lake or-"

"I just happen to be traveling when I heard a scream, looks like our fates keep meeting" smiling at the girl, the boy put his sword back into its scabbard and placed it on his back

"Thank you… for saving me" bowing mostly to hide her face, Rukia got up

"It's no problem I'm glad you're okay now"

"I am" with that said….silence followed.

"Why were you traveling at night anyway?" he asked much to her displeasure, the guy saved her life- that in itself gave him passage to her reason but, once that door opened reason would need a story to follow and Rukia didn't want anyone to know that.

"I'm heading somewhere"

"So far from your home?"

"What home?" looking at the white haired boy who was a tad smaller than her, his face and the air about him stood for ages much older than himself or her combined.

"The home you were complaining about last month, remember"

"Ah" that time they spoke under the weeping willow tree.

"Yes"

"Well why are you so far from there yourself"

"Hmm changing the topic are we, I get it" holding his hands up in surrender the boy smirked "I won't ask anymore questions"

"…thanks" looking at the boy oddly, Rukia rearranged her things over her shoulder and settled it on her back. Turning to the north Rukia asked

"Is this the way to the town by the icy mountains?"

"…you mean Soul city?"

"It has a name?"

"All towns have a name"

"..I've never heard of it before, no one told me"

"Well not many people outside know its name since not many people inside the place leave it but the town's called Soul city"

"I see, and this is the way to get there?"

"Yeah" turning to the older boy, Rukia's purple eyes met with green and she bit her lip as the other watched her with a raise of his fine white brow

"You want something?"

"I-…could you"

"You're going to have to speak up, I can't hear you" smirking at the girl's flustered face as she pouted Rukia swallowed her pride this once.

"Could you come with me to Soul city"

"…what?" he wasn't expecting that.

"Could you come with me, I- I don't want" she didn't want to be alone. Not again. Not when she couldn't protect herself should another hollow come….or worse….she didn't want to feel that feeling of loss ever again.

"…I don't know" looking at the girl before him, his eyes dashing between her and the way to the town, a frown appeared on his lips and a knot in his brow. He heard himself sigh and then look up at the raven haired girl.

When he last saw of her she was nothing as she was now. Strong and proud, she knew what she wanted and got it by whatever means- similar to him almost. But now- now she seemed weak, drained and vulnerable. He didn't like it.

The boy found he liked her better when she wasn't like this, and suddenly he felt an urge to get her back to what she was- back to the girl he remembered.

"I'll take you there"

"Really!"

"Yeah it's about three days walk if we go by my schedule"

"That's good, that gives me perfect time, thank you"

"For what?" looking at the raven haired girl, who in turn fixed her bag and turned on the path to walk

"To get home"

* * *

"Wow and you're sure this disease is a real thing?" looking at the girl as they continued on their second day of traveling, just as Rukia was telling him what leukemia was- since she last spoke of it she left him curious

"Of course, my mentor had it once"

"Is he still alive?"

"Yes, but because he had it when he was a kid, his hair turned white and now he can't play sports"

"I see that's why you thought I had this disease, so then what is bleach?"

"Seriously I can't get over that you don't know what that is!" smiling at the boy, over these two days they had grown to know each other. He gave her pointers on surviving in the woods and she filled his head with stories of her world- with the bonus of him thinking she got them from her very very old ancestor.

The two had become close friends.

"Well I don't know are you going to tell me Rukia or do I have to make you tell me?" holding the shaft of his sword for emphases

"Ha you make me Toushirou? I doubt that"

"Oh really?"

"Yes! Bleach is when you change the color of your hair"

"What?! H-how would one do such a thing!? It's impossible!" he stared with wide green eyes as she burst into a fit of laughter

"It's possible! There are chemicals that cover the hairs roots and makes them a different color"

"Incredible and all this you know from your grandparents?"

"Yeah"

"I wish I could have talked to them, these stories of disease and chemicals and such, I want to know more" and in an instant the boy beside her able to kill and hunt with a cold heart turned into a young boy wanting nothing more than to quench his thirst for knowledge.

It was weird. The moment she saw him that day a month ago she didn't think anything of him, he was just another guy who just so happen to help her out in a bind. His face meant nothing to her, however compared to now- after traveling with him….a vague memory and a feeling kept coming to her.

Deep down Rukia felt as if she knew this boy, the image of him from somewhere changed and different from who he was now; but eventually Rukia realized…this boy was.

"Hey Toushirou?"

"Yeah"

"Do you have any family?" a simple question, the only thing she could do to get her answer.

"Why" he spoke harsh and cold, the tone in his voice instantly telling her this topic wasn't something he was going to talk about. It took her by surprise, but Rukia knew better than to talk about something she knew wasn't a good topic.

"..never mind" casting her eyes the other way, Rukia bit her lip. Thinking it all over Rukia couldn't help but think how stupid she was! How was she to ask him that he reminded her of someone- with the same face, same everything but his hair far from here- back home, and that a woman far from here had his supposed last name?!

Thinking it all over, Rukia for once decided to just drop her curiosity. Somewhere deep down….maybe a part of her, didn't want to know.

Something about the topic felt….foreboding. A shadow that hid something she didn't want to find out. Of course that was just stupid…right?

* * *

"Alright get some rest tonight Rukia, you'll get to Soul city by noon but it's still a long road"

"Yeah… wait 'you' don't you mean 'we'?" on the other side of the fire, Rukia sat against a large rock

"Huh? Oh right" giving the girl a wave with his hand, they were brought into silence when green eyes looked over to purple orbs.

"Is something wrong?"

"Hmm? Oh no I'm alright"

"Well get to sleep"

"I heard you the first time Toushirou" smirking at the girl's biting remark, he rearranged himself so he would get easy access to his sword should another hollow come along; or something worse.

"Hey Toushirou?"

"You're suppose to be sleeping"

"Thanks for bringing me to the town"

"...don't thank me yet, we haven't reached the border"

"Still, thanks" getting up to look at the guy on the other side of the fire, Rukia smiled. He in turn

"You're welcome" gave her a smile. Be it the trick of the light or a flicker of the shadows Rukia could have sworn- his smile looked torn and so sad. Before he poked the fire and glared at her

"Now-"

"I know I know sleep" taking out the small blanket she had bought for cold autumn nights such as this, Rukia curled up in a ball and closed her eyes. When she heard a shuffle of a body and light sneeze and then the poking of the fire and purple orbs opened once more.

"What are you doing?" the warrior said watching the girl get up and walk over to his side of the fire, placing the bag behind her head on the tree he was leaning on, and give him half of the blanket to share.

"It's cold"

"I like the cold"

"So do I but I'm not stupid enough to sleep in it" throwing half of the small blanket onto the boy as she curled into a ball on his right, her back to him Rukia closed her eyes and tried to push down the blush on her cheeks.

"..thanks Rukia"

"Just shut up and-"

"I know I know sleep" smirking the boy gathered his half of the blanket and rolled into a ball his back against the girl's, closing his eyes; both fell to slumber and the warmth of the other on their backs.

* * *

Sunrise in these parts was a calming and beautiful scene, the shadow of the moon faded as the blue transparent sky overtook faded grey, rays of the would be sun reached over the mountains in the distance cascading the fields of greenery in orange and red.

The small fire had died down and the forest glistened fiery opal against the clear crystal tree tops, purple amethyst orbs opened slowly and a yawn escaped her thin lips,

"Mm morning Toushirou"

"…." nothing. Brushing off the blanket Rukia looked to her left and cold fear ran down her spine. Toushirou was gone.

"T-Toushirou! Hey Toushirou where-!" as she searched her hand touched the edge of a small bag, looking down it was a large pouch and a note. Rukia picked it up and read two words: _I'm sorry_

Looking at the pouch Rukia opened it to find money in the form of gold, too much for her to use on her own and it all made sense. A bitter smile found itself on the teens face, dropping the bag and biting her lip, Rukia shook her head.

"He abandoned me" just like everyone else.


	10. Chapter 10

Thank you so much to **Icicleriver22, Sakurakitty2, Litari Hatake, Asagiri **

* * *

Calm and collected as she was always known for, the Queen of Ice, Rukia walked the velvet covered road towards Soul city and finally she would be rid of this world. These people and their ways, she'd return home.

Coming into the small village the raven haired girl asked around, one question: the King.

"He lives up in the palace just up there" pointing up at the mountains, Rukia saw the castle, her destination high up on the edges of the cliffside between the two mountains, protected by Mother Nature herself.

"You planning on going up there?"

"Yes"

"Well dream on girl, no ones allowed up there"

"Why not?"

"Are you a Royal?"

"No"

"Are you a Noble?"

"No"

"Then you're not getting in, we may be the most richest and well populated village in these parts of Soul Society but even we can't get into that place" turning to his business the man left Rukia to ponder

If she couldn't get in…how was she to see the King? Looking once more back at the castle, hovering over the clouds high above the land it watches over, Rukia knew this problem wasn't going to be solved within a day.

Giving some of the money Toushirou had left her, the young teen rented a small room and in a long while, plopped herself onto the bed. Enjoying the fine comfort of a real place to sleep on- instead of the ground and the smell of the woods.

"Toushirou…." thinking back to the smaller teen who saved her twice, how could he just up and disappear like that?! And how could she not feel it? Just before his smiles…. His eyes…. Everything about him seemed duller, dim…hurt.

It wasn't as if she expected him to follow her until the very end! She asked him to take her to this town and he did, he left her money to survive on and- and….so why did it hurt so much?

Why did she think they could be anything more? Why did his memory hurt her? Why did she care about any of this!

"This God-forsaken place….I hate it!" clutching her pillows Rukia closed her eyes, she wanted to shut it all out, the pain, the fear, the anxiety- everything. Just make it all disappear.

Who cares about these people! Who cares about the fields and the skies, the smells and the sights! Damn it all to hell! Once she was home……

Once Rukia returned home, all of this will be forgotten. She would never remember anyone- she'd make sure to forget.

* * *

Sitting up in her bed, the girl thought of her situation, her very bad situation

"No one under the blood of a Noble or rich person can get in hmm…." looking at the bag on her desk and the town under her window, Rukia placed herself in her friends shoes.

Were she Ichigo, he'd act like he didn't give a damn about it and sneak in.

Were she Renji, he'd screw it all to hell and crash the party.

Were she Rangiku, she'd play the part….!

"That's it! I'll buy a dress and look like I'm from Royalty not the best plan but it's better than nothing" grabbing the small bag, Rukia left her room. Walking around the village, she realized each city she passed had a land mark of some sort- each one where people would go to. The fountain in the middle of the town by her host's house, the lake residing protectively beside the blue city, and now the large garden of desert roses where children played through and men and women met.

Looking around for a dress, nothing fit her form of Nobility, and so Rukia was left with buying a white dress with too little design and too much fabric on her small bodice.

Entering her room once more with her new article of clothing, much to the curiosity of the seller- compared to her purchase and her current choice of purple and black clothing. Rukia was left with little money and no dress.

"What am I going to do now! I have nothing left! Nothing…." falling backward onto her bed, the girl closed her eyes and felt only trouble- with no solution in sight. When…

"Problem Rukia?"

"AH! eh? Senpai! Ukitake-senpai!" jumping off her bed, the petite girl ran up to the taller male just about to hug him- she remembered

"What's wrong?"

"You're not really my senpai"

"I am Rukia-"

"And at the same time you're not, I've heard it a million of times before"

"I know, Kotsu and Tsubaki right?"

"H-how" looking at the man from the other side of her bed, purple orbs widened

"I'm your guardian angel Rukia, I know everything"

"Really. If you know everything…why didn't you help me when that hollow almost killed me!" finding anything she could to take out her frustration of the whole thing, Rukia screamed at the man, his face tired and crestfallen

"I'm sorry Rukia but I couldn't help then"

"Some guardian angel"

"If I had you'd have never met Toushirou" at the mention of his name, Rukia felt her face flush with blush or anger- even she didn't know.

"I would have been happier if I didn't have met him"

"You still aren't a good liar Rukia, now tell me what's troubling you so much" looking at the things in her room Rukia watched with mild amusement, it was just like her upperclassman to be like this; never to be stuck on a bad situation. Or maybe his attention span on such things was uncannily short, either way

"…I need to get into the castle to talk to the King but I can't get in without being a Noble or something like that"

"Yes?"

"So I bought this dress but it looks nothing like a dress rich people would wear, and I'm short on money…."

"I see well then, when do you have to see the King?"

"The winter celebration isn't in four days"

"Even still I can't have my kouhai troubled for so long" looking at the white thing where it lay, Juushirou picked the dress up without moving from his spot from across the room and in a blinding burst of light, when her sight returned Rukia gasped in shock and awe.

Replacing the sad excuse of a dress was a lavender and pearl colored gown, worthy of a queen.

"It's beautiful"

"I thought you might like it, try it on"

"I will…." feeling the fabric of the soft cloth, Rukia couldn't believe just a thing wasn't silk. Looking up at the man, who in turn looked down at her

"What?"

"…I'm not changing in front of you"

"Ah right!" blushing and scratching the back of his head, just as he would do when embarrassed, the man turned giving the girl her privacy.

After changing, Rukia didn't tell the man to turn, instead she took the time to stare at his back. The way his long white hair stood against his pure black kimono, and his wings; large and angelic….pure white, like soft snow his wings fluttered lightly- as if just as embarrassed as him. Rukia felt an urge to touch them- just to see how soft they felt, she withheld that urge

"I'm done"

"Rukia! You look so stunning!"

"T-thanks" flushed with a deep pink along her cheeks, Rukia was the model of Juuhirou. The dress felt like a glove, perfect and so formfitting it felt made for her.

The long flowing of the train of the lavender gown precious gems real of opal and pearl woven into the cloth, tight and hugging her torso in an intricate design of deeper lilac made up her corset. Opening and blossoming her small chest, cupping her breasts without cleavage, sleeves of fine transparent white ran down her thin arms, clustering in the spot just above her elbow.

Covering the upper half of her face from sight was a opal and lilac butterfly mask, a light pin of a silver plum blossom, tinted ends of amethyst along the edges, hung in her midnight black locks- finished her gown.

"Now I think you look like a princess worthy of getting into that castle of yours"

"A princess? Gee thanks"

"It's a complement, last time I remembered you blushed when Ichigo, Renji and Rangiku called you beautiful during the dance at the beginning of the school year, you blushed just as red"

"I didn't even want to go to that dance, they made me"

"No one makes you Rukia, unless you want it"

"Shut up"

"Alright alright I get it" putting his hands up in surrender Juushirou took one last look at the girl and smiled "You've grown a bit Rukia"

"I have? I thought I stopped in middle-"

"No not that, I mean here" placing a hand over his heart

"How?"

"Slowly you're starting to see half of it, before long I know you'll understand it all"

"What do I understand?"

"When the time is right you'll know" patting her head as he would, the angel began to fade

"Wait! Senpai w-when can I see you again!"

"You'll know" with that he disappeared. Leaving Rukia alone yet again, looking at the space once filled by her upperclassmen.

Suddenly feeling very tired, the raven haired teen took off her dress- carefully placed it somewhere safe until she needed it, she got into her old clothes and crawled into bed.

Tomorrow she'd worry.

* * *

Day in and day out Rukia went over the plan in her mind, waiting for the fourth night to come when she could take her final steps out of this world.

And when the time came and men and women driven in their fine carriages pulled by full breed horses of distinct caliber, the girl felt butterflies in her stomach. Watching the rich pass below her window, Rukia gathered her courage and covered herself with her blanket- making sure to hide her gown. She snuck out of her room leaving her bag, now useless and empty and followed the carriages to the castle.

From a far Rukia kept her distance as she followed, making sure to catch her breath and keep away from sight until finally she could see the tips of palace. Disappearing into the maze of greenery, straying not too far into the structure she dropped her blanket and placed the mask on her face; calming her racing heart Rukia stepped forward and walked along the others- as one of them.

At the stairs, the doors were opened to her with a fluent bow of the doorman, a gleam of gold and white graced her sight in a blind motion of sound and smells.

Rukia entered the palace of the King.


	11. Chapter 11

Thanks to- **Icicleriver22, phoenixfire3473, Asagiri, Sakurakitty2**

Crystals of rainbow and white shining over head in a dome of gold and silver, angels and demons painted- frozen in place, for all to see the epic battle of life. Dark blood red pillars of silk and velvet fell from the ceiling covering the large transparent glass windows.

Gold and yellow glittered the walls, mirrors dancing along the paintings of men and women of old- vases and statues, fountains of cascading waters crisp and clear resounded throughout the palace.

People danced and swayed together and alone along the music of the musicians, all in masks. No one knew- no one cared.

Smells of rich perfume and grandeur surrounded the living space of the dance hall, doors of intricate silver metal closed to the outside world- shutting in this place of beauty and wealth.

Rukia stood in awe, frozen not a thought process passed her mind. Such magnitude of exquisiteness and finery was ungodly- no words could be uttered in the human language to explain such splendor.

Taking a step forward Rukia forced her mind to work, her eyes to wander on its people. Nobles, Royalty, princesses, princes, kings and queens, aristocrats- people of power and affluence, dressed in flowing gowns of pale winter colors.

Rich silks aligning the women, soft velvet on the men, masks large and small colored and full hiding it's wearer from the world, Rukia looked for only one person.

One man whom she didn't know look like.

"The King would sit on top of the throne looking over his people" making her way through the bubble of laughter, no one knew she didn't belong. No one saw she wasn't Noble or like them- she was poor, middle class and had no right to be here.

Rukia knew that herself- but the fear of getting caught fell short to the temptation of going back home, and so she pushed through till she stood at the edges of the white marble glistening staircase large and wide, held by gold railings cool to the touch. No one stood above her.

He wasn't here.

"No one…so where would he be, should I ask" if she did would it give her reason to be thought of less than the rest? Would that question give her away?

"Only one way to find out" looking across the mass of people, the raven haired beauty looked for a child someone she could relate too, someone her own age but finding no one Rukia looked for the next best thing; an elder.

Someone kind looking but with the masks on everyone looked the same- unrecognizable and just when she was fed up with looking to ask, trumpets sounded throughout the grand hall. The music stopped, the people stared up at the white marble staircase towards two men standing on top.

A tall thin pale man with short straight black hair and large green eyes spoke a dark black hole at the base of his neck drew attention to him he was clearly used too- it was only when he spoke did the crowd look.

"Pronouncing his Royal Majesty: King Sousuke" a man in long robes of diamond white and a crown of pure gold on top of his head cascaded down the steps, light wavy brown hair hugged his head, showing large kind brown orbs underneath a crystal golden mask. His smile glowed as his tall well build body made its way to his throne.

The thin pale man spoke again introducing the other.

"Pronouncing his Royal Highness: Prince Toushirou" stark white hair combed back a single bang over his left eyes, equally white mask enhancing his bright green orbs as they shined against his lightly tanned skin. Dressed in silver and white, his face stone cold to all he made his way to the throne, beside the King.

…it was Toushirou.

* * *

Drowning in applause men and women took their masks off and bowed before the Royal family, a single hand motion stopped it all; a voice spoke booming and commanding over all.

"Thank you everyone for coming to my annual winter celebration, in hopes of a snowy white winter" cheers followed.

"May we celebrate and cherish this year and pray the following years are filled with peace" applause followed.

"May Soul Society prosper for I have invited special quests this night" looking over to his left, the crowd of royalty and aristocratism watched as a couple descended the stairs gasps of horror and hatred filled the hall.

Rukia clutched her breast for air- looking up at the stairs the couple standing over all, pale and proud stood….her parents.

"Lord Byakuya and Lady Hisana: King and Queen of Hueco Mundo" the crowd stood silent unable to comprehend what was happening, why were the king and queen of the kingdom most hated by their own country be here! What purpose would they need to be here unless-!

"Yes Lord and Lady have come to us in a truce between our two kingdoms, no longer do we hate but together we shall share!" raising up from his throne the King stood arms spread out as the Lady and Lord stood beside him, silence at first but a brave soul clapped slowly like a heartbeat the crowd began to cheer and praise. Joy engrossed the room and entered everyone's mind.

Were their two kingdoms finally at peace?

No one noticed the celebration was minus one raven haired girl.

* * *

Steps on the unforgiving marble floors, resounding throughout the empty hallways of high pillars and glass domes, Rukia ran out of that room- away from it all.

I-impossible! It- it wasn't…no! t-those people they couldn't be her! Twisting and turning Rukia ran further and further into the castle, until finally her legs gave under her and she fell to the floor; laying broken.

"T-they couldn't be….they're not….mommy, daddy" fallen to the ground, not bothering to get up Rukia remembered that day perfectly….they day her family finally broke.

A young girl of pure black hair covering her face, a single bang in the middle of wide purple orbs looked up at the woman she was currently sitting on.

"Mommy"

"Yes Rukia?"

"Does Cinderella really find her prince?"

"Of course, they live happily ever after" looking at the bright picture book her mother was reading to her goodnight,

"Mommy is daddy your prince?"

"I would think I am" both pairs of deep purple orbs looked up at the deep voice coming from the child's white doorframe, a tall well build man stood there smiling

"Daddy!" jumping off her mother's lap Rukia ran to her father as he took her up in his arms and laughed

"Aren't you suppose to be asleep Rukia?"

"Mommy hasn't read me my bedtime story though!"

"Cinderella again? How many time have you read that book" putting his only child down onto her mother's awaiting lap, Rukia clutched the book and grinned

"Hundreds of times!"

"She loves it too much apparently"

"I can see that" smiling at his wife, the three Kuchikis sat comfortingly as Hisana began to read when Rukia asked a again

"Mommy is daddy your prince?"

"Of course Rukia, he's my prince and king" smiling at her daughter the woman patted the mane of midnight black and looked at her husband, who in turn placed a hand on her shoulder

"And your mother here is my princess and queen"

"…hmm then what does that make me?" looking up at the two with curious eyes her parents grinned

"You're our slave!" and the two attacked the little girl with fits of giggles and laughs, tickling her sides as she rolled on her mothers lap, the woman's arms protecting the child from falling as the man tickled his daughter.

Laughter and joy filled the room, taking hold of the large house as the three enjoyed this time of peace…when the fits of laughter began to tremble in one voice and took hostage her breath.

Hisana held Rukia tightly placing her on the floor as she held herself, coughing into her hand; in a moment's heartbeat Byakuya ran to his wife's side holding her and patting her back to open her lungs.

The smell of blood filled the room and the comforting light of her small lamp on the side table didn't seem so comforting now…. Casting her mother's face into shadow and light, cutting her face and shimmering her blood red hands.

Rukia shed tears that night, and many more to come for soon after that night Hisana fell bedridden and no longer could she and her daughter read each other goodnight.

* * *

Years pasted and Hisana fell ill, her sickness never letting up her body's hold. Rukia grew up but still her childlike behavior continued into her age of eight.

"Daddy?"

"Yes Rukia" looking at the child who looked just like her mother, he stopped his paper work

"Is mommy going to get better?"

"…I'm not sure Rukia"

"…can't we do something for her?"

"I'm trying my best, I've hired the best doctors to look at her even come to the house during the day"

"Will you protect her"

"What?" looking at the young child with eyes now stone cold glancing up at him, she stood by his side where he sat, pulling on his sleeve

"Will you protect mommy! She's your queen right?"

"She is, and I'll do all I can to protect her" picking the young girl up and holding her close, Byakuya's light grey-purple orbs looked into dark ones of the same color

"You promise to protect her right?"

"Yes Rukia, I promise"

"You won't let her die…will you"

"Never" hid on the crown of his child's well placed head, on his shoulder blade into the crook of his neck she laid her head, Byakuya swore he would never let his wife die.

Years pasted and the Kuchiki family said goodbye to one of their own. Since then, everyone changed.

Rukia no longer a child at the age of eleven became cold and heartless. She cared little for the world around her own day to day existence and matters of friends and family were dirt under her feet. Her friends pressed close to her and stood their ground- inevitably becoming people she cherished above all but…. In the process, the spot in her heart for her family; disappeared.

Her father, Byakuya closed his heart as well. He stood by his company- always at work and never at home. He would vanish in the morning and never return at night, weeks on end turned to months when Rukia realized he'd leave on business trips. He had no time for her anymore, what did she care.

When her mother died, she took all the love and the care they had, now…the Kuchikis stood divided against each other. In one house, called the same name, identical blood and a past together as father and daughter, what did it matter anymore.

Her mother was gone, her father abandoned her…. What family did she have!

* * *

Rukia picked herself up slowly and in a daze, her dark purple eyes faded- streaks of stagnant bitter tears aligning her cheeks, the teen of sixteen stood up.

Her raven black hair covered her face, mask uncovered, she placed it back on in place and perfect- hiding from the world. She headed back into the ballroom, where the man and woman were, with each step she took Rukia muttered to herself a small chant.

"Mother is dead. Father is gone"


	12. Chapter 12

Thanks to- **Icicleriver22, LeyCoo, Asagiri, Sakurakitty2, Hanashi (Hanashi Tokoma),**

* * *

Wearily, in a daze Rukia shook her head softly and swift, forcing her mind to work and forget the past.

Walking into the ballroom once more dark purple orbs scanned the motley room for her par- the man and woman who resembled people she once knew. Seeing as how they weren't present as well as the King being gone, curiosity and the feeling of safety took over and she flushed into the crowd.

This time she looked for one person, Toushirou.

If anything made sense in her state of mind right now, it was that Toushirou still abandoned her….left her in the middle of the night, without so much as a goodbye. And although she said it didn't matter, said she couldn't care about him, cursed her fate for ever meeting the boy….it still hurt.

Hurt to be left alone like that, when she- opened up, even a little; it hurt to be thrown away. And it left her angry and confused. If she could find out why he did that- if she could forgive him…. She knew he could help her, somehow, but-

Didn't he like her? At least enough to say goodbye?….was she that worthless to him!

"…" looking for a head of white hair, she didn't have to look hard to see in the middle of a small cluster of women, bundled to the side away from the dance floor; the Prince stood stoically.

Nodding and showing little emotion as the princesses and young female aristocrats asked him questions of his country, of his people and other things that mattered little to him.

Hiding the upper half of his face, behind a mask of silver outlined in gold foil the teenaged boy, with his white hair combed back like the King a single hair out of placed perfectly covering most of his left eye; he looked like a true Prince.

Completely foreign to the warrior Rukia met him as.

Making her way past the crowd of dancers and merry folks, through the bundle of women.

"Prince Toushirou you look as handsome as you did last year"

"Have you served the King well?"

"How is Soul city, I pasted it coming here and it looked-"

"Prince, might I ask a dance?"

"Toushirou" her voice cut through the fine women's voices harsh and rough, yet soft and raw; fine in her own way- drawing his attention from the others surrounding him and drowning her.

Green surrounded by silver and gold looked and yielded to purple in opal and lilac, black on white.

"Toushirou you-!" pushing the women aside no longer within the cluster, she stood before the taller teen her face turned up to look at him in the eyes

"Why did you- you left me, back in the woods alone. Why!" she coolly demanded calming her rage to yell at the boy who in turn responded thus.

"Who are you"

"…!" dark purple widen in shock. D-did he really- "it's me Rukia"

"I know you not"

"What"

"As the Prince said he knows you not, leave us be" a princess called out

"Make room, there's none for you here" another spoke up

"The Prince wishes not to speak with you" an aristocrat scoffed the women laughing behind their fans of fine embroidery, behind their masks; Rukia stood her ground.

She had dealt with more than this, things far worse. Back at home as she grew and even here- in this world, not only a few moments ago.

"Toushirou answer me! You left me in the woods alone after I asked you to take me here- after that hollow attacked me…you still left"

"…" looking down at her with cool eyes he turned his head the other way, slowly as if time played with her mind- stretching her sanity beyond its limits.

He turned away, and within her something broke.

"Look at me damn it!" in a rush Rukia grabbed his shoulder, whirling on his heel until he faced her she pulled his mask off in a rush. His eyes wide and full of emotion- unable to hide any longer.

In a flash of color and screams Rukia felt the world swift under her feet in an array of motion, her body suddenly pulled from the boy and held tight- the weight of thousands eyes on her back.

Guards held her from the Prince, as she squirmed and demanded them to let her go.

"Prince Toushirou what do you wish we do with her" the man holding her right side spoke, unfeeling and void of emotion.

"Sir"

"My my my what do we have here?" that voice!

* * *

Somehow in the middle of it all, in the middle of everything Rukia could hear one voice- one distinct voice she would never forget, a voice of someone she never wanted to see again.

"Prince Toushirou, it's a great pleasure to see you so well" bowing low, bordering on the line of mockery the man stood his full height.

"..Ginmaru"

"Ah so you remember me, I'm glad" smiling his fox-like grin the silver haired man looked to the guards and the girl they held at point blank.

"Rukia-chan what a pleasure it is to see you here, after you ran away from us I'd thought I'd never see you again" mockery

"..You know of her" the white haired Prince said slowly looking between the two, ignoring the growing crowd around them- staring, talking.

"Yes I do, she is my slave" venom

"I am not!"

"As you can see she's got quite a big mouth" smirking his lips cut his face apart, his voice like poison

"I was your tenant not your slave!"

"Permit me Prince, to take her back to my house and show her some of her rightful manners" the Royals snickered, they all knew what that meant; slaves were of the common to them.

"No! I will not go back, Ginmaru you have no right to claim me!" glaring at the silver haired man who ignored her and smiled at the boy, she could tell- unconsciously…if she went back…. G-gin Ginmaru would!

"Dear Prince"

"Toushirou don't listen to him! He's lying to you" staring so intently at the teen who held her fate in his fickle hands, Rukia misses a slight strain in the silver haired man's smirk.

"I-..!"

"What is this!" a voice boomed across the ballroom, breaking the silence and the tension masking it in fear; there stood above all the King.

* * *

Tall and proud the brown haired man in his robes of diamond white strode down one step of marble at a time, breaking apart the crowd without need of words he came to stop before the Prince.

"What is this"

"Your Majesty, Ginmaru has come to tell me this girl is his runaway slave…" looking at Rukia still held by the guards, signaling them to let her go- the teen stood where she was dropped.

"Why do you glare at me with such eyes"

"…" she bit her lip. Rukia may have been raging but- still conscious enough to know- this man could send her to her death or worse if he wanted to; still the glare was unintentional even if the man before her did look just as she had thought he would.

Even though he wore a mask of gold, Rukia was sure, beyond a doubt that this man was the splitting image of Aizen Sousuke head of THE senior group. The distaste she had when she first saw him came back full force.

"You have a fire within you girl"

"My name is Kuchiki Rukia…sir"

"Hmm you say she is your slave Ginmaru" he spoke with such familiarity Rukia would have sworn they were back at school, Ichimaru talking away with Aizen.

"She is your Majesty"

"I do not believe so" a strain in his smile once more, Ginmaru opened his blood red eyes to stare

"Oh?"

"Yes, she will be taken to the cells for disrupting the celebration, until I can further think on this matter" with a wave the guards bowed and grabbed Rukia who in turn tried to squirm out of the dire hold

"L-let me go!"

Without another word to her King Sousuke calmly walked to the top of the steps and reclaimed the celebration to begin once more, music flared and people slowly got into their old practice of the night.

Blood red eyes glowed for a moment before disappearing under ever closed lids and a smile never replaced. Ginmaru too left- back into the crowd.

Emerald orbs stared out into the distance the faint call of a voice echoing in his ears, and Toushirou looked up at the King and back to the doors, the girl faded behind.

* * *

"You stay here until the King wishes to see you" a guard spoke, unfeeling as he pushed the raven haired girl into the dark cellar, closing the metal bars to the cave like prison on her.

Their footsteps resounding through the empty cavern, closing the large metal doors of the prison, Rukia was left alone.

"Come back! Please!" clutching the bars tightly, pressing herself to the cold metal fear and anger in her eyes

"Come back… please! Don't leave me here" hiding her face beneath her black bangs, her mask fallen as she was carried away, her dress ripped and dirty, she fell to the ground holding herself tight.

Nothing was going right. Ever since she came here to this world, nothing she did worked anymore and now….now her fate was in the hands of a man whom loved to see her squirm and a man who ruled over all.

The fact that the one person who could have helped her, didn't know who she was anymore. Why did he act like he forgot her? Why was he so cold.

"…he hates me…" it shouldn't matter to her, he was just a person another face in this place, someone to forget when all was done and over with; so it shouldn't hurt.

There shouldn't be a pain in her chest, making her breathing hard and labored, there shouldn't be tears running down her face; there should be nothing….and yet, there was.

"Oh my poor girl, why so sad?"

"..!" looking up at the voice shaded by the darkness, Rukia stood up drying her tears she forced herself into her cold persona as the man stepped out into the light of the candle hanging by the dark metal chandelier up above.

"…what are you doing here"

"I came to see you my dear Rukia-chan, you are my slave aft-"

"Shut up Ginmaru, I'm not your slave or anything else, never again"

"Oh? Then what will I tell your dear friend back at home, Yasutora was it?"

"..."

"He's changed quite drastically since you left, he doesn't grovel at my feet anymore"

"Bastard, what did you do to him"

"Me?" the silver haired man looked a taken aback, faking his shocked expression before a smile found its way onto his face "I didn't do anything Rukia-chan, you did"

"You lie"

"I would never, not to you my dear"

"I said shut up! I'm not your anything so stop calling me that!" Ginmaru smiled his face splitting in half, as Rukia tried to hide her shutter, the man smiled all the more.

"Temper? Maybe that was what changed him, or maybe….it was because you left"

"Yasutora knew why I left, he understood me and my reasons" she would not fall for these ruses, these lies from this snake!

"Or maybe you just saw what you believed to see? Or perhaps you're just this cruel" reaching out to caress Rukia's face, before she pulled back suddenly his long fingers catching strands of black hair

"I'm didn't see what I wanted to see, I saw what happened"

"Yes, yes but please tell me my dear Rukia, where did all that running get you?" the sliver haired man's smile mocking and cruel on his face, Rukia could feel herself bite her lip

"Nowhere, all you got was a place in jail at the winter celebration, looks to me like you were better at home"

"Your home is **not** my home, Ginmaru" standing up as tall as she could from under the stare of blood red orbs, Rukia would not hide from him. Too many times has she run… and here was where it got her! She's hate to admit it but he was right, running got her nowhere but- she would not go back.

Never backward.

"You can talk all you want Ginmaru but I'm not listening, you can't play with my mind" her dark purple orbs meeting with his blood red slits, ever watchful behind a curtain of silver; she didn't look away and saw an instant of a strained smile. Before it disappeared behind his mocking face

"Take care my Rukia-chan!" turning on his heel towards the door, a flicker of the candle lights at his passing by shuttered against the shadows of the cave, his voice ringing as the doors closed behind him

"We'll see who plays with whose mind in the end of all this." but reasons unknown to her, Rukia clenched her fists fear of his words rang against deaf ears

"We will…and I assure you it'll be me."


	13. Chapter 13

Thanks to- **Asagiri, Icicleriver22, LeyCoo, Hanashi Tomoka, Sakurakitty22**

**

* * *

**

Curled up in a ball on the cold ground, Rukia hugged her knees trying to keep warm against any rational thought of how little her dress did to cover her. The raven haired girl, sat silently thinking things over.

Now with a clear mind, Ginmaru's words now only hollow echoes in her ears, the sixteen year old calmly placed her mind to work: an escape. But, what was minutes slowly turned to hours and when she was finally about to break-

Steady footsteps ring on the cobble stones of the prison floor, a small figure cast in the shadows of the dimming lights of the black chandeliers

"Whose there!"

"…" the shadow slowly steps towards the cool metal bars of the cage, letting what little light to illuminate his face

"..Toushirou!"

"Rukia" getting up of the floor in a flash of light purple and white, the petite girl pressed herself to the metal, ignoring the pang of cold against her chest and glared at the boy with emerald eyes.

"You decided to remember me now" she spat, not trying to hide the hate and the hurt in her voice

"I never forgot" he replied, not trying to hide the shame and the sadness

"Then what the hell were you playing out there!"

"I was playing my role"

"You mean your role as Prince" again Rukia couldn't hide the hurt of her voice, the fact that he would hide something like this from her…

"Yeah"

"I was dressed perfectly like a princess, why couldn't you have talked to me like you do those other aristocrats!"

"Because you demanded me in a way no aristocrat would ever dare to, you would have been given away instantly"

"…" looking at the boy, dressed perfectly Rukia turned away flushed at how right he was. She barged in unannounced and untrained- not in her right mind to calmly think things through; play the role as it were.

"You aren't a good actress Rukia"

"I am too! You just haven't seen me perform like I normally would"

"Either way, you sucked as princess"

"Shut up" glaring at the other, seeing his light smile Rukia found a grin on her face just the same. Until his smile disappeared

"I'm sorry"

"What?"

"I got you in there because I couldn't think of a way out before things got worse, it's just that everything went too fast and I-"

"It's fine, I'm not mad…not anymore at least"

"I am sorry" bowing his head low, he never meant to send her to jail, never meant to make her look so sad…..

"I said it's fine Toushirou, but-"

"What?" looking up at the girl, whom smiled down at him

"If you really want me to forgive you then get me out of here!"

"….I can't"

"Why not?" even as Prince could he not do anything?!

"The King put you in there, and only the King can bring you out"

"Then go talk to the King, tell him it was all a mistake" her dark purple eyes wide and pleading against his green orbs

"I wish I could but I can't"

"Why?"

"The winter celebration"

"What about it?"

"Until the celebration is done with, the King won't bother with anything else"

"But he put me here not a few hours ago!" Toushirou shook his head, his white well placed hair shining with the gold foils of his robes.

"As Prince I cannot defy my brother"

"Y-your what!?"

"My brother"

* * *

"His Royal Majesty Sousuke is my older brother"

"Y-your brother?"

"Yes and as Prince to the King I can't go against him"

"N-no way" crestfallen Rukia hid her face beneath her black hair, falling to the floor slowly as her bare arms dragged behind her along the bars she clung too.

"Rukia-"

"S-so there's no way out for me? I'm going to have to wait for this man to rule my fate…."

"…."

"..I'm going to die here"

"No" looking up at the boy now kneeling before her eye to eye, she saw defiance and a plan….the Toushirou she knew.

"But you-"

"I said as Prince I can't defy him but I never said as rouge warrior I can't go against him"

"Toushirou" letting his hand guide her up onto her feet, he smiled at her

"I won't give up on you! I have a plan to get you out of here"

"Tell me!"

"Not now, just wait for me when I come back alright"

"Right, I'll be here" nodding swiftly at the other, he left go of her hand reluctantly before running out of the cave and through the large doors,

Gathering her wits, Rukia quickly and calmly made herself wait, at the sudden change of events she couldn't afford to get her hopes up and so she thought to herself the pros and cons of whatever plan Toushirou had come up with. Still the thought of it all, the reason he didn't recognize her in the Ball Room was for her safety, the will and defiance he had to help her, everything she had told herself to hate….now there was no reason to.

And she couldn't be happier. He would come back for her, all she had to do now was wait. Wait and then- she'd be free again.

* * *

And so Rukia waited, sitting and pacing along the small cage she was put into, hoping against hope, praying to no one, Rukia waited until she heard the sound of the winter celebration resound with laughter and the smell of food making its way to her.

"I'm so hungry…where are you Toushirou"

"I'm right here" a sudden voice sprang from behind her in a furry of panic and fear Rukia jumped

"Sorry! Didn't mean to scare you"

"D-don't do that again you idiot!"

"Come on we don't have much time, after dinner is the final dance before its over and then the King will come down here or bring you up"

"...You came back" relief filled her voice, Rukia believed he would come back, Toushirou would never lie to her- hide the truth by not bringing it up, yes but never would he lie to her. Still- for longer than a heartbeat Rukia couldn't help but fear that just maybe-

"Of course I came back, I told you I would didn't I?" he looked into her eyes stern and smirking his boyish grin,

"Yeah" falling to her all fours, Rukia looked at the small crevice Toushirou was pointing to. The hole in the wall he had just climbed out of and was now her way out. Dark and tiny.

"Are you sure this is the way out?"

"Yeah, when this castle was made I was part of the builders to plan the outline"

"You were?!"

"Yeah, I'm one of the very selective few people in the castle who know of these secret passage ways I put in personally"

"Why?"

"They were my way out of this place, when I needed to get away" the boy chuckled at the girl as he pulled the loose rock into place behind them, shutting out the light to the small passage way drowning the two teens into darkness.

"T-Toushirou?"

"Yeah I'm here"

"Okay, it's just so dark in here…"

"You're going to be okay Rukia, I'm right here" stopping in the middle of their stride, now able to stand upright the warrior reached out "take my hand, I'll lead us out of here"

Feeling for warmth Rukia brushed against soft fingers and instantly grabbed on holding the hand between hers tightly and gentle, placing them close to her body Rukia smiled into the dark

"Thank you"

"It's fine, come on we've got lots of ground to cover" feeling the smile radiating from the girl, Toushirou smiled as well although not knowing if Rukia got it, he turned and began to lead them out into freedom and away from his brother.

Silence filled the small passage way, the sound of footsteps resounding on the rough floors, the feel of the tight chasm walls pressing along their sides, the air with no wind. Rukia spoke

"Are we almost out yet?"

"Yeah, just a few more minutes"

"You remember all the tunnel ways by memory?"

"Yeah, it was something I enjoyed and made for just in case situations like this"

"How long ago?"

"How long ago what?"

"This castle, from what I've seen of it, it looks ancient, beautiful in all its majestic history but I would have never thought it was build recently"

"It wasn't"

"Huh?" feeling a questionable face appear on the girls face, Toushirou smiled at the feeling- seeing just the right expression he knew that was on her

"This castle was build about 500 years ago"

"What!?" stopping in middle stride, Rukia forced the two of them to halt in their march

"What?"

"You can't be telling me that this castle was build 500 years ago and you were one of the original planners!"

"Yes, that's what I'm saying"

"No you can't be! If that were true….y-you'd be"

"I'd be what?"

"You'd be….dead" h-how could he be telling her this with such a calm voice? Was he for real? Did he take her for a fool?

"Why would I be dead? I'm pretty young compared to others at the castle"

"H-how old are you exactly"

"If I tell you can we get going?"

"Yes" pulling her along behind him, gently but leading her enough so she couldn't stop them again

"I'm 518 years old and still young enough to be called a child"

* * *

The bright light of the would be sun blinded them, momentarily before their sight returned and Rukia took her first gulp of fresh air in what felt like years of imprisonment.

"I never thought I'd miss seeing this place so much!"

"Come on, we have to get away from here" looking from left to right, Toushirou kept his wits up knowing it wouldn't be long before his brother found out his prisoner was missing- along with him.

Taking her hand in his, the white haired boy lead the way towards town running down the hill that lay beneath the castle, past the mountains that protected his home, with Rukia in hand he ran away from it all.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere my brother can't find us" ever weary the two were close to Soul City's borders when Toushirou turned to the raven haired girl

"Do you have any of the money I left you?"

"No, I spent it all"

"Really?!"

"I needed shelter and food as well as a way into the castle! How much do you think this dress cost?" purposely leaving out that her 'fairy godfather' made it to what it was now. She didn't need him- or anyone for that matter to think she was crazy.

"Damn it!"

"What's wrong? Can't you pull rank? You're a Prince after all"

"It's not that easy!-"

"Why not?" turning his head from her purple gaze, avoiding eye contact Toushirou brushed off her question

"It doesn't matter, what matters now is how are we going to hide with no money"

"…why not camp out like we did before?" for now she'd ignore his avoiding her question- she'd keep it in mind to ask later.

"No, not in the clothes you're wearing and if we tore it, it still wouldn't protect you enough to survive in the wilderness"

"Then what do we do now?"

"That's what I'm trying to think of!" grabbing his white hair in frustration, the boy began to pace around playing with the hilt of the sword on his waist

Standing where they stood, Rukia felt the hours tick by before a sudden splash of panic ran down her back- something was off..... something was wrong!

"Toushirou! I have a bad feeling-"

"Damn it! No time!" he too felt it, instantly pulling Rukia close behind him he took out his sword aiming it at-

"Get behind me and don't leave my side!"

"R-right" staring before the two teens, the enemy of a dozen; some miles from Soul City- any form of help, they two only had each other to rely on.

In the face of hollows.


	14. Chapter 14

"W-what do we do now?!"

"Stay close and don't leave my side!" holding the girl with his left arm, his right arm holding his sword, the only form of protection they had, Toushirou had to think of a plan.

There was no way he could protect Rukia and defeat these hollows at the same time without getting hurt himself- doing that with no money to help them along would only drag them down as they were on the run from his brother.

A roar resounded from the hollows!

They moved in- he had no time!

"Damn it!!" head on the white haired boy attacked, blocking the claws that would have ripped him to shreds, he sliced and tore at his enemies. One on one, jumping through the air twisting his body through the holes in their chests, they attacked each other in hopes of getting him.

One on two, two on one, then three on one- no matter what the odds Toushirou fought to protect himself as well as-

"AHhhhhhh!!!!"

"Rukia!" turning in the midst of battle, green orbs widened in shock and horror to see a wave of red cascade before him, a petite body falling to the floor- slowly against time….

"RUKIA!!!!" in a blur of flashes of light and shadow, hollows screams and the smell of blood surrounded him drowning him. Toushirou ran to Rukia's fallen body, grabbing her to his lap

"Rukia! Hey Rukia wake up!" dropping his sword he felt for a pulse, it was weak, her face was pale drained and in pain. He could feel her blood oozing from the wound on her back, seeping through his pants Toushirou stood up with his sword in hand he ran towards town- praying he wouldn't be too late.

"Please hold on Rukia! Don't die on me!"

* * *

"…where am I" opening her eyes only to be greeted by darkness Rukia lay suspended in time, no sense of anything she closed her eyes

"I was attacked….by that hollow…who?" she heard a voice calling out her name, pleading her to wake up…who was it?

"..Toushirou…I'm sorry Toushirou, I want to wake up but-…please…" letting his voice drift away the girl let herself drown in the darkness, away from it all

"Just let me disappear…let it all just go away…" everything, everyone just leave. She didn't want any of this to happen, she had never wanted to be here in the first place! And now she was dieing…again.

None of this was suppose to be and Rukia wanted out.

"Is that how your going to let it all end?" a voice called out, who?

"Were you this pathetic Rukia?"

_Ichigo_.

"Are you going to let it all go just like this?"

_Yes. Why not?_

"This isn't the Rukia I know! Get up and fight your way back home!" his amber eyes burning with rebellion and desire, something Rukia has always admired about the boy.

_I can't…I don't want to._

"You've always pushed your way to the top Rukia, this isn't any different!" another voice.

_Renji._

"When your mom died you pushed through! When your dad never returned home you pushed through! Why not now? Huh!"

_I have no strength…no more will to fight, so please why can't I just-_

"You said excuses were for the weak hearted Rukia, for as long as I've known you- you've never given an excuse!"

_Rangiku too?_

"Everyone is waiting for you to come back to us Rukia! If you stay here what will happen to us?" she gave voice to her worry, to Rukia's concern…deep within her heart the raven haired girl always questioned that.

_I want to go home but I can't! I can't go home…. _although the words came so swiftly and easy, they hurt like blades on a heart of fine crystal, chipping away at it slowly until there was not left…

"Get up Rukia!"

_F-father?! _beside her standing in the dark of her heart between her friends, behind closed eyes she could see a strong man she once knew long ago

"I didn't raise you to fall to this!"

_You didn't raise me…._

"Where is that young girl I called my pride!"

_Dead. Why do you care, what do you care for…. Father_

"Wake up Rukia, I need to speak with you"

…_.you never had anything to say to me before, why now? Because I choose to die here…_ did she really want to die here? Those words came so easy but-

Empty words run against an even emptier heart.

"I have so much left to tell you Rukia, so much more to explain to you"

…_._

"Please my dear, won't you get up?"

_No…mother…I- I don't want to_ shutting her eyes even tighter, blocking the images she saw but didn't-couldn't see, they didn't disappear.

_Go away! Please just leave me!_

"Why do you give up so much Rukia?" Byakuya.

_I- I don't-_

"Don't you want to see us anymore?" Rangiku.

_I- I_

"Have we done something wrong?" Renji.

_No…_

"Do you hate us?" Ichigo.

_No!_

"Then why…Rukia?" Hisana.

_Because I don't want to face you! _She finally said it.

_I don't want to go back to that house! I don't want to see everyone's face and think of this place….I don't want to be reminded! _here in the darkness, floating between her heart's desire and her soul's yearning, finally the truth comes out. The fear, the humiliation, the hatred. Everything.

_I-I don't want to be weak anymore. But I can't do anything about that and….it's only now I see that- I can't be your pride father._

His eyes dark and focused on her.

_I can't laugh like you do or be a good friend to you Rangiku._

Her face stone cold and on her only.

_We can't play as we did when we were kids Renji, not anymore._

His smile gone, eyes staring at her.

_We can't joke the way we did in middle school Ichigo, I can't be that girl anymore. No- I never was that girl._

He watched her, as she lay there in the dark her eyes closed to the world, listening to their voices- their hearts

_Mother…I'm sorry, but- I'm not strong as you were I know that now, no matter how hard I tried, no matter how hard I hid it, here in this world all my weaknesses….they're all I have! There all I'm made of_

The woman looked at her daughter, her eyes hard on her kind face- she gave a sudden smile and shook her delicate head

"You're wrong Rukia"

_What?_

"You're not alone, not here"

"You have friends- people to help you along the way"

"You have enemies- to help push you through your weakness"

"You have hope- enough to bring you back home"

"You have us, and him"

_Who? _

Like a flash of sudden wind, the images were gone- their voices ringing on her ears, Rukia heard one voice call out to her- pleading.

She opened her eyes just a moment, a heart beat of black eyelash and she knew who that was…she saw a fluster of pure white.

* * *

Seated on the small chair just by the edge of her bed, Toushirou waited for Rukia to wake up. In a matter of moments he had reached the village, got the attention of help and by some miracle Rukia's wound had been bound just in time. Now he sat waiting for her to show some form of consciousness, but no matter how much his logic told him she would be fine… looking at her, Toushirou couldn't help but worry.

Rukia's face was pale, large light purple rings under her eyes, she would breath hard and then whimper, he wanted to help her but Toushirou didn't know what he could do. Except talk.

And so he talked, about anything, his thoughts on being Prince, the plans he had for the castle as well as the future of Soul Society- his country, Toushirou talked about his first impression about Rukia how she was so odd but unique.

He said anything to keep his mind quiet, to make sure the dark thoughts wouldn't impair him as a warrior and as a man. But- his talkings also brought self-loath.

"I couldn't protect you, even when I swore to myself I would…when you were right beside me" looking at her sleeping form Toushirou held his head, leaning forward in the chair

"Rukia, I know we haven't known each other long but-" hiding his face within his hands, trying to keep in the torment and hate he felt towards himself, the worry and affection he held for her.

"Wake up…I- can't afford to lose you too.." like a silent plea to her dark mind. Purple orbs slowly opened with the brush of white as her first foggy image

"T-oshirou.."

"Rukia!?" clashing with her orbs, green widened in shock and relief a broken smile on his face "y-you're awake!"

"Where…am I?"

"At the inn, in Soul City the town just outside the woods, I ran here as fast as I could and got your wounds bound, for now just rest and save your strength"

Looking up to the boy on her right, a handsome smile on his lightly flushed face, Rukia saw the would be tears behind his eyes, the weary bags, the lines of his face, hidden well behind his smile.

"Thank you" his smile for her.


	15. Chapter 15

"Are you feeling any better today?"

"Yeah, much better" nodding to the boy as he entered the room they occupied for two days already, Rukia's wounds now just scars of a foggy memory.

"That's good to hear" sitting onto the chair that was now claimed as his, the teen brought out a package from behind his back, how she didn't see that from before- even Rukia couldn't figure out.

"What's that?"

"For you, open it" thrusting the box onto the girl's lap, Rukia cautiously looked at the other

"What for?"

"Just open it, you'll see" watching the girl open the box with wide and curious eyes he answered the question on her face.

"It's for when we have to get traveling again"

"It's been two days….how have you been able to-"

"I don't want to stay in the village so close to my brother, if I don't have to and seeing as how your wounds are healing I figure it's best to be planning on ahead"

"Did you pull rank?" to get this room and her back healed with no money…he had to have right?

"..that doesn't matter now, just rest and get better so we can leave" getting up the white haired boy turned to leave when a hand reached up to pull on his wrist, keeping him in his spot by the bed

"What happened Toushirou?"

"Nothing"

"Then why won't you answer me?" looking down into dark purple orbs, Toushirou sighed

"It doesn't matter, as long as you get better I can protect you better"

"Don't give me that!" glaring at the boy, Rukia knew- he would always refuse to answer her questions if they came to his title as Prince. It was as if he were hiding something from her and he knew she wouldn't see him the same way again if he told her…. But- no. Rukia knew deep down whatever it was- she wanted to know, had to know, this boy was the one who saved her time and time again, watched over her and cared for her; if he was suffering from anything, be it some fear to her reaction, Rukia wanted to prove to Toushirou she wouldn't see him any differently.

No matter what. Hadn't what happened just two days ago prove this?

"Why don't you answer my questions"

He looked away, ashamed and….something else, something deeper than fear.

"It's a long story"

"We have time, I'm going to get better in a few minutes Toushirou" a small smile on her face, the white haired boy shook his head

"Get some rest Rukia"

"Toushirou!"

"I'll tell you another day, when we're further away from my brother" releasing her hold on his wrist the other turned to leave, closing the door behind him.

* * *

That night passed quick and awkward, gratefully the next day Rukia had healed enough to be able to walk and, being the impatient person she was, she had convinced the other teen it was time to leave.

Although it didn't take long to convince the boy, considering he was half as eager to leave. Though slightly hesitant to let her leave the day she was able to move, the two teens soon left the room they had made their temporary home and before long had left the small town, ironically named Soul City.

_Of course, the term city could mean differently here than at home _Rukia pondered as she trod along side Toushiro, now dressed in perfect traveling clothes- much different from that dress she had before as well as the black and purple punk clothes that replaced her school uniform that day she came to this world. And much to her pleasure, this time around her shoes weren't combat boots but a good pair of leather traveling boots.

They had some how were able to trade in the material of her dress for the money they used to pay the bill of the room as well as have extra for necessities such as food, clothes and a sword for Rukia.

"You what?!" Toushirou looked at the petite girl before him as they passed a smith

"I said I need a sword, we have enough money left over don't we?"

"Yes but- can you"

"I took kendo for ten years Toushirou I know my way around a sword"

"But-" the older boy looked weary, it wasn't that he didn't believe her and he knew Rukia was no liar and that she could definitely hold herself in a battle but- the other half of himself didn't want to chance the fact that Rukia could end up hurting herself…

"If you don't believe me let me show you with your sword" looking up at the boy with sharp purple orbs, Rukia knew she needed some form of protection for herself, not that she didn't believe Toushiro would protect her with his life- ever since the hollow incidents….but still Rukia wasn't going to let herself be taken a third time!

She'd defend herself with the kendo she took for years.

With a sigh she heard the boy ask her

"What type of sword"

"Katana- that one" pointing to the white sword with its pure white hilt and flowing white ribbon, Rukia knew it was perfect in appearance and ability. Small and quick- an instant death.

"Are you sure?"

"I am"

"We'll take it" and so here she was, sword on her side close to her left hip, the white cold metal of the blade so familiar against her thigh, it was completely different from the normal wooden sword she would wear at kendo practices, but this one sword felt as if it were made for her.

As if she had fought beside this one white sword before- years ago, in another time.

"How are you faring?"

"Good, better now thanks"

"No problem, if we don't meet any unexpected guests we should be able to reach the valley beneath the spring back mountains soon"

"Spring back mountains?"

"Yeah, after crossing through the valley we'll pass another town by the lake that surrounds the other half of the mountains and then after that…"

"What?"

"Well see, if we're still free from my brother's gaze by then we won't have to pass through that very risky passage"

"What do you mean?" looking to the boy who in turn gave a frustrated sigh in response

"It's one of the largest flower prairies in Soul Society, about eighty-five miles of open space"

"O-oh" if the King decided to attack them there, they'd have no where to run.

"Yeah but thankfully if we survive the prairies, we'll be able to hide out in the woods just beyond the field"

"Woods?"

"Yeah" giving her a smirk, he turned his green orbs to the red velvet road before him.

Rukia in turn couldn't help but think in the back of her mind somewhere…the paths Toushirou was choosing for them sounded almost exactly the same she took to get to the castle. Only in reverse.

The woods, the flower filled prairie, the town by the crystal blue lake…

_I'm being stupid…Toushiro must have a different place in mind- he has to be _Rukia concluded. Giving it no more thought the raven haired girl couldn't help but think just for a heartbeat.

What if he was leading her back to where this all started. Back to that town she began in.

* * *

A days worth spend and Toushirou and Rukia had finally made it to the valley at the feet of the spring back mountains.

"Let's rest here, it's not smart nor save to travel through the mountain path at night"

"Alright" silently the two made their camp sight for the night, Toushirou made the fire as Rukia laid out the beds.

"What's wrong?"

"Hmm what?"

"You've been quiet all day, what's wrong?"

"Nothing"

"You say that every time something's wrong Rukia"

"Do I?" she gave the boy a smile, when he didn't return it she frowned, turning to give him her back she blew her single black bang out of her eyes

"I'm fine, just thinking is all"

"About?" sitting on her bunk, moving her sword to lay comfortably at her side, Rukia looked up into the fading sky, it's grey-black face not completely able to hide the morning light that hid beneath it's surface. The stars and moon beginning to appear beside the sun's fading form.

The sky in this world never failed to calm and amuse her. If it were like this back at home, Rukia was sure there would be less buildings and blaring lights- just so the people all across the world could see the ever blending of the sun and moon, morning and night.

"To tell you the truth, when I came here to Soul Society I- hated it here. I hated the fact that I was alone, I hated that I didn't know where I was- who I was anymore…."

"The faces of so many people I knew but weren't them….the memories that would kill me at night and haunt me in the morning, I hated it all and there was nothing in this world that I wouldn't give up to go back home"

"That will in me only seemed to burn even more when I left the town and the people who found me, and again when I got lost in the woods, when I was attacked by that hollow before I met you again, when I finally got to the castle and then thrown into prison… time and time again I wanted nothing more than to go back home- to leave this nightmarish place and just forget it all"

Looking to the boy before her, his green eyes never having left her face, Rukia turned her purple gaze to the burning fire

"When I was attacked by that hollow, before I fell unconscious I felt a deep hate for this world again, it was such a dark and deep hate I had never felt before…never, and I- I wanted so much to just give up. Everything and everyone I knew, here and there, I just wanted it to end"

Casting her gaze to the boy, she met with his eyes dead on and spoke one of her dark secrets.

"I wanted to die Toushirou" she watched his gaze stay stone cold, only a slight tightening of his jaw told her of his shock at the news she was giving him

"But- deep down, I was- I guess I was afraid to…I didn't want to leave my friends, my school, my life back home, I had a future, no matter how much I was suffering and knew how much more I'd have to endure- I didn't want to leave without a goodbye at least"

"When I was unconscious, I knew I would have given up but…."

"…."

"…."

"…but?"

"My friends and family stopped me. They gave me a reason to keep going, I had left so many things undone and unsaid… here and there, I didn't- I couldn't give up yet"

With a smile, Rukia looked up into Toushirou's green gaze

"I'm not going to run away anymore, I realize now that that has been my biggest weakness, the one form of imperfection in my heart that has lead me down the path I'm taking now. Not anymore. Here and now I'm going to stand by you Toushirou, fight beside you and even if it's just the two of us against your brother's army- I'm not running anymore"

"I will face all the obstacles that place themselves in front of me head on" locking eyes with him once more, purple amethyst on green emerald, black on white. Toushirou smiled his cheeky grin

"Is that all?"

"W-what do you mean by that?!" her brows knitted together in confusion and slight annoyance

"I always knew you'd be the kind of girl who wouldn't run from anything"

"Really?"

"You were the first person much less girl who ever back talked to me"

"What-" suddenly remembering the first time they met, at the festival in the town she had begun in, he had rescued her that day too "how was I suppose to know you were a Prince?"

"You didn't but I could tell, even if I told you at that moment you still would have told me I was a liar and walked off"

"True" she laughed as he smiled at the memory

"I could tell by the look in your eyes Rukia, you were not a girl who ran away"

"….but I have been"

"And that running lead you to where you are now, the decision to stop and face your problems"

"…."

"You had it in you all this time Rukia, it only took you this long to find that out but now you know what to do, right?"

"Yes, I guess you're right Toushirou"

"I always am"

"Shut up" giving her a grin, the boy turned in his seat and began to unpack

"Now, stop staring and help me with the food, I'm hungry"

* * *

Since that day, both teens enjoyed the journey more and more, the presence of the other became a sense of completion- two halves of one whole, together they were perfect.

Side by side they fought the hollows, the small platoon of men from the King himself, to common thieves thinking they were just kids alone.

Toushirou came to enjoy and love Rukia's presence beside him. He wanted to protect her, watch over her, tease her, simply be with her…beside her, behind her, in front, anywhere as long as she was an arm length away. He needed her beside him, to hear her voice, see her smile, know she was alright….it was gradual. Slow and under the impression of his warrior heart to protect those weaker than him, he thought all he wanted was to watch over her until he was sure she was safe, that will in him to help her was only suppose to be that of the warrior in him- the Prince in him to never fall back on his promises.

But- as a man. Toushirou knew… it was nothing like that. He was in love, plain and simple. The way Rukia's hair shone a pure oddly shaped black, her glowing smiles, bright big purple eyes, her soft voice, her heart, her will- everything about her...about Rukia drew him in. And Toushirou found, he didn't mind drowning.

Only- he knew also, deep down- they couldn't be together like that. When he was sure she was safe he'd leave again, back to the castle, back to his throne- it was all he knew, all that had been sacrificed for him to be the Prince of Soul Society would all burn in vain if he forsake it.

And Rukia would never come with him. He knew she wanted nothing more than to return home and for all that he put her through, all that's been thrown at her- this was the only thing he could do for her. He loved her, he truly did for so long now but his love would have to be forsaken in the end.

Her happiness was what mattered most. Even if it was without him….

For Rukia, he'd keep his mouth shut. He'd keep her at an arm's length. Stand beside her, behind her, in front of her. Fight beside her, be her shield and her sword. Her comfort.

He'd keep silent.


	16. Chapter 16

"Look up ahead,"

"What?"

"You can see the top of the woods," scanning her eyes over the flowery fields Rukia's purple orbs widened,

"I see them!"

"See? Now if we can make our way at least half way before night fall, by tomorrow afternoon we'll have reached our destination." Toushirou smirked, it had been a week since they escaped from the castle. Men of a dozen, platoons of the armed forces sent by his brother had found them at each stop they had made and each time both Rukia and him had defeated them all.

They left none alive, Rukia was always the one to send them into a sense of unconsciousness or on the brink of death before he would end it in an instant. They couldn't afford to leave one man alive and have him report their whereabouts back to the General of the armed forces. If that ever happened- Toushirou wasn't sure if even he could get them out.

"So then what are we waiting for?"

"Alright then," smiling at the raven haired girl, the two teens continued on their journey.

Walking through the prairie of flowers, Toushioru kept his sense open for anything, in such an open space- anything could happen.

"Hey Toushioru, where is it your taking us to anyway?"

"A place hopefully the King won't find us in,"

"Where?" she had asked once before, whenever they had time to just talk Rukia asked her questions but alas, the white haired boy always gave her the same answers as always; "I'll tell you when we get there," "it's not important right now," "let's go, we're wasting time."

"Somewhere."

"You know Toushirou, that's getting really old,"

"Really? I hadn't noticed," a smirk in his voice at the pout Rukia gave in response, appeared on the boy's face.

"Fine don't tell me, let's just hurry though, I don't like this open prairie," Rukia admitted as she trotted ahead of Toushirou, silence filled the open space as the occasional multi-colored bird singed, before long the two teens had reached the woods and without hesitation the white haired boy lead the raven haired girl through the trees that all looked the same.

In a matter of minutes, they had exited the woods and were quickly making their cautious way back onto the red road, hours pasted and the day was dwindling, the melancholy night sky was beginning to shade over the transparent blue sky as Rukia looked up.

"You know?"

"Hmm?"

"I never noticed how beautiful the sky is, it's probably the only thing I really love about this place,"

"It's nothing special really, in other countries the sky over them is different in it's own way." Toushirou answered nonchalantly, missing Rukia's wide purple eyes,

"Other countries? What? You mean there's more to this place?"

"Of course, this is just Soul Society, there is Karakura to the South, Hueco Mundo to the far North, the Great Sea to the West and Shinigami to the East,"

"I never knew that, I always thought-" what did she think?

Truthfully, Rukia had never given any thought to the bigger picture as to where she was. All that matter to her for the longest time, was to get home and forget it all; but now. Now that she was beginning to see this place in a different light, here she was told there was more to see, more places to explore, people to meet.

"What are they like?" she asked, suddenly curious the raven haired teen looked up to the white haired boy,

"What are what like?"

"Karakura, the Great Sea, Shinigami, Hueco Mundo, what are they like?"

"Why suddenly so curious Rukia?" the smile on his lightly tanned lips didn't hide his amusement from the smaller girl by his side.

"Just answer my question Toushirou," she rebuked a gleam of mischief in her violet eyes.

The boy only laughed in response, "well, I've never been out of the country but from what I hear Karakura is a country of trade, it's warm and tropical, the people are friendly but don't let that fool you they're strong in military power."

"I see, and the Great Sea?"

"As blue and as endless as time, or so I've heard. It's a sight worth seeing before death, it's great for traveling to the floating islands scattered all across the Sea,"

"Floating islands?" he couldn't really mean islands in the sky could he?

"Yeah, some small islands float some hundred feet off the waves of the Great Sea while some are just broken islands some hundred feet along the shoreline,"

"How would you get up there though?" Rukia asked, fully curious now.

"Don't know, each individual person finds their own way up to the floating islands, since I've never left Soul Society I wouldn't know,"

"I never knew, how about Shinigami?"

"Ah, it's a country filled with rich culture ruled by families that have held power since their country was made, each families owns a prefect of the country,"

"So then how do they makes laws, don't they have one large family to rule over the others or something?"

"I think the heads of each family meet up to discuss the countries issues in a meeting, but political science has never been one of my favorite subjects." The white haired male laughed as Rukia grinned, trying to picture Toushirou in a proper suit piece sitting perfect in his seat.

"Okay, so then what about Hueco Mundo?"

After hearing about Karakura, the Great Sea and even Shinigami, Rukia couldn't wait to hear about this country to the North, however, when she looked up to the boy on her right his eyes were stone cold and his lips in a fine line. He was angry, or rather….

"Toushirou?"

"Soul Society and Hueco Mundo aren't in good relations right now, Rukia, don't bother to get to know that country."

Aren't in good relations, that could mean only one thing; war. Rukia thought with bitterness, even in this place, this wonderland; war was still a plague to humanity.

* * *

Without any problems to confront the two teens, with Toushirou by her side Rukia noticed two things as silence filled their journey as they entered the woods.

One; was that it had only been a few days if not a month last since she left the village she had started off in but Rukia's memory was almost perfect when she needed it, and now was perfect timing.

She had been alone at the time but every tree, stone, pebble and rock was where it was last as she remembered it.

Why were they here? Why was she back again, after getting so far….what is Toushirou thinking?

Noting the boy beside her, walking briskly just two steps faster his green eyes darting back and forth from shadow to highlight, always watching for any movement that could do them harm; the way he walked past lines and uplifted tree roots told Rukia the second thing.

Toushirou had been here before, and was quite familiar with it.

With that in her mind, Rukia made sure to herself, to find out who Toushiro really was. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, she escaped with him and three times already he had saved her life. No. Rukia trusted the boy more than she did herself, but that didn't mean she believed everything he said.

Something in her told her, Toushirou wasn't telling her everything, of what about she wasn't sure but; in the subtle movements he gave off, the things he thought she didn't see…Rukia could tell, he was hiding something.

By today's end, she would figure it out.

* * *

"Wait here," the white haired teen withheld the petite girl behind him, as his sharp green eyes looked before he stepped out of the woods and onto the red velvet path, making sure that no one was around, he signaled to Rukia as she came out.

"Why are you so jumpy Toushirou? We already know, if anyone followed us you'd have found them out by now," Rukia asked, making their way down to road once more, unconsciously touching her pure white sword hanging from her waist.

"If I can be perfectly sure that we aren't in any form being followed, then I'll take being jumpy Rukia,"

"Nothing's going to happen to me, Toushirou, I'm able to protect myself now." Although she was grateful to the boy for saving her, Rukia still hated being treated on as if she couldn't do anything. She wasn't a princess.

"I know that, but I can't kick old habits Rukia, they're what kept me alive for so long," her friend said vaguely, a sad smirk on his lightly tanned face.

Rukia wanted to ask but knew by now, he wouldn't give her an answer. And so, the raven haired girl just settled for silence instead when…..

Their destination came into focus before her wide amethyst orbs.

_No! n-not this place….why here? _Rukia thought in aghast depression. She had come so far from here only to end up back where she started… the village only a few hours away from the friend she left behind. From the house of Ginmaru.

"W-why are we here Toushirou, why can't we get out of the country or-"

"Because I know someone here who can help us,"

"What?"

"Besides, getting out of the country isn't an easy task Rukia, not when your stuck in the middle of four different countries with no passports or money." The male resorted with a knowing smirk, not catching the look of pain and fear in Rukia's eyes before heading down the streets of the town as if he knew were he was going.

Not too soon enough, the two teens had pasted every familiar build, landmark, from benches to flowerbeds and Rukia knew automatically where they were going. But why?

Without voicing her thoughts, the raven haired girl simply left Toushirou lead her to a small house by the edge of the town, up a hill of bright wild flowers and to a door she had once before, knocked on.

Opening the large door, an old woman came out, Rukia watched as her kind blank face changed into disbelief, morphed into shock, and then quickly mold into happiness; glee and love.

"I-is it really you….Toushirou?" the woman whispered, not quite believing her old eyes as her grip on the door tightened in fear of the illusion of the boy before her.

"It really is, it's good to see you again," Rukia heard an equal amount of happiness in the male's voice as he stepped foreword and embraced the old woman in a tight and overdue hug.

"Rukia,"

"Yes?" the raven haired girl spoke up, looking at the two white haired persons standing in the wide doorway, Toushirou smiled to her his green eyes brighter than ever.

"I'd like to introduce you to my grandmother, Hitsugaya Koyuki."

Suddenly everything made sense.

* * *

Walking into the small house she already knew from memory, once again Rukia found herself in the large chair she sat in when she first set out, looking into the face of the woman who wished her luck in her journey…far from here.

The irony didn't escape Rukia.

"It's good to see you again Rukia-chan,"

"You too Koyuki-dono," bowing to the woman who showed her kindness, Toushirou looked at the two in confusion,

"You two know each other?"

"She was the kind girl who helped me with my bags during the festival some months ago, Toushirou." The old woman smiled to her grandson, as he looked to Rukia,

"She was the one who took me in for a night before I set off to find the King," the raven haired girl explained, drinking her cup of tea and taking a bite out of her small piece of cake, oddly enough with the laughable sentence 'eat me' written on it in icing.

"I see, thank you grandmother, for taking in Rukia when she needed it, on her own she can be a bit hopeless," the male grinned, earning a flush look on the female.

"How rude Toushirou! I am not hopeless!"

"Of course not Rukia," he laughed as his grandmother smiled.

"I see you're doing well Toushirou, I'm glad and you too Rukia-chan. But may I ask, what brings you back here? Have you finished with your quest?" the elder woman's green eyes looking over to her in confusion, when Rukia looked down

"No ma'am, I don't think I am done with my quest. But I did find the King and Toushirou is with me now,"

"Then what are you to do now dear?" she heard in question.

Rukia opened her mouth to answer, but closed it when she realized that she had no answer. What was she going to do now? She couldn't tell Koyuki-dono that she had been taken prisoner by the King and with Toushirou's help, escaped with her life; and was now on the run.

No. She couldn't do that to the kind woman. But then what was she to do?

….go back? And what? Hope to talk to the King and hope he was merciful on her, not likely.

Keep running? No. she was tired of running away, Rukia swore to herself she would grow up here, she would no longer run away from her problems.

So then what could she….

"I don't know the answer to that Koyuki-dono," looking up into faded green eyes as well as vibrant emerald orbs, amethyst eyes looked onward hard and true.

"I didn't expect much Rukia-chan, you don't need to answer me anytime soon; time will tell when you are ready." Came the kind response as the woman turned to her grandchild, Rukia felt herself tuning everything out.

Suddenly the words of the Rangiku look-a-like's words rang in her ears, calling her.

_"When you figure out what is it your looking for, you'll be returned what you've overlooked."_ What was she looking for? It didn't make any sense.

She came here knowing very little about this world, but now. After so much that had happened, Rukia was different. She wouldn't run away anymore, she had found herself….

Could that be what Rangiku was talking about? No. if that were true then she would have been home by now, so then…..what?

Rukia sighed, the single black bang in front of her face moved slightly. What did Rangiku mean? What is she suppose to look for? What has she overlooked?

"Back to square one." Rukia dryly laughed when the sound of a voice speaking to her broke her concentration.

"Rukia,"

"Huh?"

"I said, it's getting late, you should be getting to bed." Toushirou said, already up and pointing to the stiars.

"What about you?"

"I'll follow you up soon enough, I have to talk to my grandmother for a bit." The warrior answered, nodding Rukia bid goodnight to her hostess once more as she headed upstairs for a goodnights sleep.

Not even bothering to think that anything bad could happen. After all, now that they were far from the King's gaze in a village far from Soul City, nothing could go wrong.

* * *

**P.S. sorry for the almost year long hiatus, I've been busy with LJ and college life! (yes in the time I was gone, I went from being in high school to a freshman in college!) I plan on continuing this story and the others I've (presumably) left un-finished, so thank you so much to everyone who've reviewed, commented, alerted, favorited and all that jazz. Ya'll were my main reason as to why I've decided to come back. **

**And of course, I'm back to show these newbie HitsuRuki authors how to write a real HitsuRuki story! (am I right? or am I really right!) **


	17. Chapter 17

The sound of complete silence woke Rukia with an eerie jolt. Adjusting her purple eyes to the glare of the morning sun filtering through the window to her left, the girl looked out and watched the sun rise over the shaded moon.

Everything outside was perfectly fine, nothing wrong.

.

.

So then….why was it so heavy in here?

Pushing the blankets off of her, Rukia dressed herself as she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen to see Hitsugaya Koyuki making breakfast.

"Ah, you're finally awake Rukia-chan, come here I made breakfast." Setting the plates down onto the wooden table, Rukia noticed many things off about this picture.

Not moving from her spot in the doorway, Rukia looked up to meet Koyuki's faded green eyes.

"Where is Toushirou?"

"…"

"Koyuki-dono, where is Toushirou." There was that heavy silence again. No sound, no movement, many secrets.

And the old woman looked to her with sad eyes, and spoke.

"He left."

"What?"

"He's returned to the castle Rukia-chan, he told me to keep you here. That it was safe."

"H-how could he just leave me?" it didn't make any sense! Wasn't- weren't they- what. What was the actual plan? The entire reason for her escape and his helping her…lead them to where? Thinking about everything, Rukia couldn't keep standing as she collapsed into the chair as Koyuki ran to her aid, she sat silent and in shock.

How could he just up and leave her? Where was she to go? What was going to happen now!

So many questions ran through Rukia's mind, for a moment she almost blacked out before she felt a pair of old hands on her shoulders and faded green eyes on her face.

"Rukia-chan? Rukia-chan, you have to stay with me honey,"

"W-what do I do now? W-where do I go from here?" she found herself asking, not really hearing herself speak. Dazed and confused purple orbs searched the suddenly foreign house as she heard a voice speak to her once more.

"He said he would convince the King you were innocent, oh Rukia-chan, Toushirou wants nothing more than your safety."

"My safety? If he truly cared he wouldn't have left me."

"He left you, because that was the only way to keep you safe." Koyuki responded with a gentle but firm voice, her faded green eyes so much like her grandson's.

"How….I'm- alone again-" Rukia stopped herself from uttering those words, before she would revert back to the child she no longer was. As if the resolve to oppress her fears would become her sword, Rukia closed her eyes and concentrated on a focus. A purpose.

"Rukia-chan?"

"…Koyuki-dono, please tell me where did Toushirou go?" looking at the elder with determined eyes, Koyuki sighed regretfully before sitting herself down at the table, breakfast all but forgotten lay wasted on the oven still as Koyuki opened her faded green eyes and looked at Rukia with a face that could have been the same look she had sixty years ago.

"If I'm to tell you, you'll have to know the entire story."

"Please tell me, Koyuki-dono."

"Toushirou will not like me for doing this, he's kept it a secret for so long him and his brother…."

"Koyuki-dono you're not making sense," confusion written on her face, Rukia met with green eyes that no longer looked as faded as they first appeared just moments ago.

"Let me take you back 511 years ago."

* * *

_Dark clouds of anger and fear crash against the onyx black sky. Flashes of white light and thundering noise strike the earth in fits of fury, as a woman holds the hands of her young sons, her dark brown hair fluttering in the wind as she runs to find help._

_The angry sounds from down the hall, shout and scream; voices yelling and cursing, the woman runs as her sons try to keep up. She looks for one person to help her, save her children from the fate she knows that will befall her and her husband this night._

_Another woman rushes to the lady, she pushes her children into the woman's arms pleading her with bright green eyes, strikingly bright under the flashes of lighting from the window. Fear and horror mix will in her eyes, but a slight sliver of hope keeps her sane, enough for her children and husband._

_The woman nods, tears in her equally bright green eyes as she lifts the youngest of the sons into her arms and holds tight to the older one as she leads them out of their home. _

_Young child eyes watch- unable to do anything as the lady, their mother cries for them before turning towards the room where they left their father in. _

_The young child, silently fears that room as he and his brother are taken into the night- cold, unforgiving rain washing away their sins and hopes. _

_Loud noises and blinding lights staling them just enough to hear the bloodcurdling scream of their mother and then their father; before the woman forces them onto the road and into the forest. _

_Forever taken from all they knew and loved._

_The two sons are changed. As years pass and the brothers have grown with the woman they call grandmother, the older of the two leaves, back to his home._

"_Don't go brother! Don't leave me here!" the youngest cries, holding back his brother will all his young body can, but his brother is bigger and the boy is pushed to the ground. Eyes just like their father, stares down at him and his brother speaks._

"_I have to, they took mother and father from us. I will then take what is rightfully ours,"_

"_Brother no! t-they will kill you if they see your face!"_

"_No they won't, I have it all figured out little brother of mine,"_

"_B-brother…" the youngest is close to tears as his brother turns to him with a melancholy smile, gently wiping his tears like their mother would. And he speaks,_

"_When you have grown, come find me. There we will be together again, until then stay here and I will take care of everything." And then he disappears into the wind, his short brown hair just like their mother flowing in the wind._

_And the youngest cries._

_A few years later and the youngest is as old as his brother was when he left, and he knows; he's ready._

"_You don't have to go," the woman is now older, much older as her black hair is now lined with silver. She pleads to her youngest, the only one left in her care, to stay. But he shakes his white hair, just like their father, and gives his grandmother one last hug._

"_I have to go to brother now, he's waited for far too long without me."_

"_But- they'll kill you, the men who took your father and your mother away will take you both too!"_

"_No, I believe my brother has taken care of everything just as he said he would that day he left, trust him grandmother as I do."_

"_Oh my sweet child-" the woman is about to cry but the boy kisses her cheeks to stop them from falling and he speaks once more._

"_It's time I get my act together, if I don't I won't find the person I'm looking for,"_

"_Your brother?"_

_He shook his head, a soft smile on his still young face. "I don't know, I just feel like I'll find them if I keep looking long enough."_

"_You have your mother's intuition," the woman smiled finally, not letting the last time she would possible look at her youngest's face with tears in her eyes. The boy gave her one last wave goodbye before he too set off, back towards his home._

_And so Sousuke and Toushirou, became the rightful heirs to their parent's fortune and name; deemed as King and Prince of Soul Society. However….._

_

* * *

_

"However?" Rukia whispered, barely able to speak after hearing such a tale. She looks to Koyuki and sees the older woman look defeated before she spoke, her voice rough and tired, the raven haired girl handed her a glass of water before she continued.

"The men who killed Their Majesties were of the Council, the men who shared the laws of Soul Society with the King and Queen. But once they became head, it was a few years after that did our King, I mean- Sousuke, forgive me it's been too long since I've called him that name," Koyuki smiled sheepishly before continuing,

"Sousuke left here and went back to the castle, it was after that did the people of our country and other countries begin to acknowledge that we had Royal Blood again."

"How?"

"I don't know, but ever since then the Council has never made an attempt at opposing Sousuke, and never have I seen their faces without a mask on,"

"They wear those masks always? You mean the ones at the ball?"

"Ball? How do you-"

"Ah nothing, please tell me Koyuki-dono, Toushirou doesn't always wear a mask so then how can you say that he and his brother always wears them?" Rukia asked, purposely ignoring the old woman's curious eyes.

The woman answered, "Toushirou as a warrior and wanderer has no mask, but the Prince has always worn a mask since he ascended the throne."

"But why?" it didn't make sense why Toushirou wouldn't wear one and the Prince would, even if they were the same person. And how did Sousuke become King? What was the threat that took the previous King and Queens' lives? And most importantly- could it come back and aim it's blade at Toushirou?

Too many questions ran through Rukia's head, that she was quite thankful to be sitting down already or she would have tripped over her own legs.

"Even I don't know that answer my dear, now I think that's enough for now I'm quite tired,"

"Of course Koyuki-dono, thank you so much for telling me this." The teenage girl thanked, helping the elderly woman out of her seat and up the stairs into her room,

"No, even if Toushirou might not have preferred me to have told you, I felt like you needed to know."

"Thank you again,"

"It's fine Rukia-chan, now please could you be a dear and put away the dishes? I'm afraid we talked so much we didn't even need to use them today," the woman laughed as she tucked herself in, with Rukia's helping hand she nodded and closed the door behind her.

After putting away the dishes and packing the food away, Rukia quietly gathered her things and wrote a quick note before she too, left.


	18. Chapter 18

Toushirou glanced at the clock on the wall before heading out of his room and towards his brother's study. He would never admit it but, he would always try to avoid going to that one room. That one place in the entire castle had been the catalyst of bad memories and experiences for him, and even now hundreds of years later it still had that effect on him.

Mentally scolding himself, the Prince secured his white mask over his face, passing Arrancar guards at every turn. They may be loyal to his brother but Toushirou wouldn't trust one enough to share more than two-three words with them; something about the hole in them possibly.

At the door finally, the Prince gathered his thoughts and pushed past the doors and into the study. He had one purpose in mind right now, and he would leave with that one purpose fulfilled. No mind games.

"Brother,"

"Ah Toushirou, how are you today?"

"I'm fine brother, I've come here to talk to you,"

"Oh? What about?" the smile on Sousuke's face was anything but innocent as he sat from behind his large black oak desk…the same one their father sat behind.

"Do not believe in Ginmaru, he's always been a liar and a misfit in Yama-jii village."

"Oh? Has he now?"

"You've seen how he runs his family, and to even own slaves? That's barbaric!"

"It's common Toushirou, you'd know this if you studied more." His brother reprimanded, not minding to sound like the older sibling, rather than a king, for once.

"All I'm saying is that what that man says cannot be trusted,"

"And? Who said I trusted him?"

"T-that's not-" he cursed his stutter the moment it left his lips. He had come here with a purpose, to free Rukia from his brother's chains….instead he got himself stuck.

The moment he lost his focus, was the moment his brother won.

"Dear little brother of mine, you come into my study and tell me not to believe in words of a man, whom I already know is a liar."

"Brother-"

"You speak as if you know what you're talking about, as if you have proof as to why I should believe you,"

"Sousuke-"

"Do you? Have you come here to ask me to forgive that little raven haired beauty you stole away?"

"…I didn't do anything brother," years of living with this man has made Toushirou better at playing his games. The minds games, Sousuke the King, was greatly known for.

"I know everything little brother of mine," the smile on his face said it all, and instantly the white haired boy knew he was beat.

When had this happened? How did this happen? He had come in here with a purpose, and he was so sure he would secure Rukia's freedom…so then, what went wrong?

Was it because he said something? Was it doomed to fail the moment he let himself fear the very presence of this room, before he even entered? Was it because….his brother had changed so much?

* * *

_White hair and sun-kissed skin, Toushirou made his way through Soul City up towards the castle, to find his brother; to be with his only family. It had been a long trek to get there, about three weeks or so, but he was finally home._

_Without pause he pasted the town and it's working denizens, no one taking the time to notice a boy passing by. Toushirou was met at the door by his brother's right hand man, Ulquiorra. Dark emerald eyes stared coolly at the boy's lighter mint green eyes, when the man spoke,_

"_The King has been waiting for you, Toushirou of Soul?"_

"_Yeah, I'm him." How long has it been since he last heard his family title? 20, 60, maybe 100 years? Too long._

"_Follow me," the man spoke, interrupting Toushirou's thoughts as the large wide doors opened and let the boy into his home, his castle, his kingdom…_

_Everything was the same, the large foyer of crystal white and gold, windows as large as trees letting in the bright rainbow lights of dawn, the tapestries, flags, adornments along the wall and floor, hallways that lead to the left and right wings of the castle- each door and the room it lead too ran through the white haired boy's memories as he finally began to feel a calmness wash over him, since he didn't know when._

_Before long however, his tour ended with Ulquiorra stopping so abruptly, Toushirou would have bumped into the man if he hadn't trained since the day he was old enough to pick up a sword._

"_We're here, his Majesty is inside," and with that the black haired Arrancar left Toushirou to enter into his brother's study by himself. He was too busy looking foreword to seeing his older sibling, that he failed to realize what room he was going into until he had entered…_

_Emerald green eyes widened in shock, looking about his father's study before falling onto his brother's suddenly too close chest._

"_Toushirou, I was expecting you, you've grown so much!" Sousuke exclaimed, bringing the white haired boy into an embrace in which the latter returned._

"_Brother, it's been forever since I last saw you!" Toushirou smiled, looking up at big brown eyes, so much like their father._

"_It has hasn't it?"_

"_I've come just as you asked of me, when I got old enough to follow you."_

"_I can see that Toushirou, and I'm glad. It's been so lonesome here without blood relations." Sousuke murmured as he turned to sit down on the couch on the side of the study, looking out the window to his left._

"_I don't see why you'd fill our castle with Arrancars from Hueco Mundo, brother. They're the enemy aren't they?" even if he had lived most of his young life on the outskirts of Yama-jii village; rumors and tales of the great country to the North have been only norm to him, stories of the creatures there, the king and queen who lived in tyranny over their people, denizens whom weren't even….human. With black skies and white sand, cold winds blowing and never ending. _

_Soul Society and Hueco Mundo were at war. Long before he was born, long before his father took his seat as King; generations back into his predecessors, their land was conflicted with theirs._

"_They are, but these Arrancars are loyal to me alone Toushirou, you have nothing to fear. I've had everything taken care of, remember?" _

"_Of course I do, I haven't seen one Council member since I entered the castle. I admit I was a bit nervous they'd remember me." Toushirou laughed nervously, trying to act nonchalant but truthfully. He had been terrified._

_It had been these people who had killed his parents, run him and Sousuke out of their own home, taken their country and- so much hurt, loss and anger was aimed only at those people his family had trusted so much._

_Upon returning of course, his first instinct was to keep a keen eye on any Council member he'd come across. It wasn't like they'd know what he looked like hundreds of years after the murder of his parents, he had been a child before. But- unlike many, Toushirou had his father's white hair and mother's green eyes. Of course, he'd be an easy person to identify just by a glance._

_But surprisingly, nothing was out of the ordinary since the moment he entered his home._

"_Why is that brother? Where are those cowardly bastards?" he'd love to show them a piece of his mind._

_But, unlike himself Sousuke just smiled fondly, an absent but aimed glaze in his brown eyes. "There are no more Council men, Toushirou."_

"_What? But- that's not right, Soul Society has always been ruled by the Royal House and it's Council." If anything, he'd always known that about his country._

"_Must I repeat myself so many times Toushirou? I said I've taken care of _them_..."_

"_How-no…no you couldn't have-" but the sudden fond smile on his brother's face turned dark and menacing; the light from the window shading his face in black and white angles._

"_I have, they're gone. Every damned one who killed our parents, and now I rule; now We rule."_

"_B-but they- we, members of the Royal House can't issue laws without consent of the Council…how will we survive without the other half of our power?" Toushirou looked frantic, eyeing his brother as he played with a strand of his wavy hair before he got up and swayed over to his desk in the middle of the room. Turning his russet eyes onto mint,_

"_I am the other half as well as the whole, I make the rules and I will issue them."_

"_But-"_

"_No more fretting little brother of mine, I've taken care of everything." Opening a cabinet from behind his desk, Sousuke took out what looked like gold and silver pieces of cloth. _

_He spoke in an almost, a-far-away voice, light and yet- "I give you this gift Toushirou, wear it always while in this country, while in the presence of our people."_

"_But why?"_

"_In the sudden 'disappearance' of our Council members, I found strings that lead much farther than I had thought."_

"_Brother you're not making any sense." Toushirou exclaimed, unconsciously getting closer to his only blood relation left in the world. Looking closer at the pieces of gold and silver in the taller man's hands, he could see they were not pieces of cloth but- masks. _

"_No one can see our faces from here on out little brother of mine, hide your face so much like father's and I mine like mother's. If you do this, we can live together to see the end of this sad tale." Handing the smaller boy the silver mask, Toushirou glanced up at the man he suddenly felt he no longer knew._

"_Wha-" his hand hesitant to take the offer,_

"_Trust me as you have Toushirou, I only want to protect you from the bloody and twisted road before us,"_

"_How do you know it'll be…bloody?" He had trained for years in martial arts, killing techniques and skills that have kept him alive and ready to kill, but the abrupt prospect of a future filled with hiding who he was from an even more dangerous enemy was something he was not expecting._

"_I've seen where the strings lead to and I assure you in due time, it will get very bloody." Sousuke answered, a simple smile on his face as he placed his golden mask in place, Toushirou glanced at the silver one in his hand and then with a shuttered breath; placed his onto his face._

_And so, here and then, the King and Prince of Soul Society were born anew._

_

* * *

_

Was it when he figured out that his brother had killed those twelve men, that he began to fear him? Or- had it begun before even then, back when they were children forced to leave their home; that he lost his brother.

Toushirou couldn't understand but one thing he did know was that, the person before him now had changed from the person he knew back then.

"Why." He couldn't help asking, looking at the brown eyed man with confusion in his eyes.

"Why what?"

"Why did you change. When did you become someone else?" _when did you become someone who isn't my brother._

"I am still your older brother Toushirou, born of our mother and father of Soul; king and queen of Soul Society."

"By blood, that isn't changed. But what has is you, yourself! You're entire personality, the look in your eyes…."

"Is what little brother of mine? What do you see in my eyes," asking seriously, Sousuke locked eyes with the white haired boys'.

"I see madness," that was the answer, wasn't it? Years of questions, of unknown fear, illogical suspicion has lead him to this one conclusion he should have seen so many years ago.

That night, in the lighting and thunder when all was but taken from them. Their loved ones, their only sanctuary, past, present and future; in the force of their mother's bloodcurdling scream, their father's anger-filled shriek. His brother had lost his mind.

And he had killed men, stolen people's hopes, and would lead him, his own little brother, down a path of blood and lies.

"I see madness in your eyes brother,"

"Very good," smiling the tall man turned away, his back now facing the large portrait of their family of four. "Is that all you see?"

"Yes,"

"….good." With that silence fell and Toushirou knew, this conversation was over.


End file.
